July 16 facts for kids

July 16 is a special day in history, filled with many important events, from ancient times to today. From the start of a new calendar to space missions and new inventions, this date has seen many moments that changed the world. Let's explore some of the most interesting things that happened on July 16.

July 16 is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 168 days remain until the end of the year.

Historical Events Around the World

Early History (Before 1600)

• 622 – The Hijrah of Muhammad begins. This journey marks the start of the Islamic calendar, which is used by Muslims around the world.
• 1054 – A major split happens between the Western and Eastern Christian Churches. This event is often seen as the official beginning of the East–West Schism, dividing Christianity into two main branches.
• 1212 – The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa takes place in Spain. Christian kings from Spain and Portugal defeat the Muslim Almohad forces. This battle was a big turning point in the Reconquista, which was the effort to retake Spain from Muslim rule.
• 1228 – Saint Francis of Assisi is officially recognized as a saint.
• 1377 – Richard II of England is crowned King of England.
• 1536 – Explorer Jacques Cartier returns to France. He had claimed parts of what is now Canada, including Quebec and Montreal, for France.

Important Events (1601–1900)

• 1661 – The first banknotes (paper money) in Europe are printed by a Swedish bank called Stockholms Banco.
• 1769 – Father Junípero Serra establishes California's first mission, Mission San Diego de Alcalá. This mission later grew into the city of San Diego, California.
• 1779 – American Revolutionary War: American soldiers surprise and capture a strong British position at the Battle of Stony Point. They used bayonets in a night attack.
• 1790 – The District of Columbia is chosen as the capital of the United States.
• 1809 – The city of La Paz in what is now Bolivia declares its independence from Spain. This was one of the first steps towards independence in Spanish America.
• 1861 – American Civil War: Union troops begin marching into Virginia. This march leads to the First Battle of Bull Run, which was the first major land battle of the war.
• 1862 – David Farragut becomes the first officer in the United States Navy to be promoted to admiral.

Modern Times (1901–Present)

• 1910 – John Robertson Duigan makes the first flight of an aircraft built in Australia.
• 1915 – The first ceremony of the Order of the Arrow takes place. This organization honors American Boy Scouts who show the best qualities of the Scout Oath and Law.
• 1931 – Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia, signs the country's first constitution.
• 1935 – The world's first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• 1941 – Baseball legend Joe DiMaggio hits safely in his 56th consecutive game. This amazing streak is still an MLB record today.
• 1945 – The Atomic Age begins. The United States successfully tests the first nuclear weapon near Alamogordo, New Mexico.
• 1948 – The city of Nazareth, important to Christians as the hometown of Jesus, is taken by Israeli troops during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
• 1948 – The first aircraft hijacking of a commercial plane happens when the cockpit of the Miss Macao seaplane is stormed.
• 1951 – J. D. Salinger publishes his famous novel, The Catcher in the Rye.
• 1965 – The Mont Blanc Tunnel opens, connecting France and Italy through the Alps mountains.
• 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 11, the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon, is launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• 1979 – Iraqi President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr steps down and is replaced by Saddam Hussein.
• 1994 – The comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashes into the planet Jupiter.
• 1999 – John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, and her sister die when the small plane he is flying crashes into the Atlantic Ocean.
• 2004 – Millennium Park, a large and modern park in Chicago, opens to the public.

Famous Birthdays

Born Before 1900

• 1194 – Clare of Assisi, an Italian nun and saint.
• 1486 – Andrea del Sarto, a famous Italian painter.
• 1723 – Joshua Reynolds, an important English painter.
• 1731 – Samuel Huntington, an American politician who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
• 1796 – Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, a French painter known for his landscapes.
• 1821 – Mary Baker Eddy, an American religious leader who founded Christian Science.
• 1858 – Eugène Ysaÿe, a Belgian violinist and composer.
• 1862 – Ida B. Wells, an American journalist and activist who fought for civil rights.
• 1872 – Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer who was the first to reach the South Pole.
• 1887 – Shoeless Joe Jackson, a famous American baseball player.
• 1888 – Frits Zernike, a Dutch physicist who won the Nobel Prize for his work on microscopes.
• 1896 – Trygve Lie, a Norwegian politician who became the first Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Born After 1900

• 1907 – Orville Redenbacher, an American businessman who founded the famous popcorn brand.
• 1907 – Barbara Stanwyck, a well-known American actress.
• 1911 – Ginger Rogers, an American actress, singer, and dancer, famous for her movie musicals.
• 1924 – Bess Myerson, an American model and actress who was Miss America 1945.
• 1926 – Irwin Rose, an American biologist who won the Nobel Prize for his work on how cells break down proteins.
• 1936 – Yasuo Fukuda, a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan.
• 1939 – Ali Khamenei, an Iranian cleric and politician who is the current Supreme Leader of Iran.
• 1942 – Margaret Court, an Australian tennis player who won many major championships.
• 1948 – Rubén Blades, a Panamanian singer, songwriter, and actor.
• 1952 – Stewart Copeland, an American drummer and songwriter, best known for the band The Police.
• 1958 – Michael Flatley, an American-Irish dancer and choreographer, famous for Riverdance.
• 1963 – Phoebe Cates, an American actress.
• 1964 – Miguel Induráin, a Spanish cyclist who won the Tour de France multiple times.
• 1967 – Will Ferrell, a popular American actor and comedian.
• 1968 – Larry Sanger, an American philosopher and businessman who helped create Wikipedia.
• 1971 – Corey Feldman, an American actor who starred in many films as a child.
• 1973 – Shaun Pollock, a South African cricketer.
• 1976 – Bobby Lashley, an American professional wrestler.
• 1982 – Carli Lloyd, an American soccer player who won Olympic gold medals.
• 1983 – Katrina Kaif, a British Indian actress and model.
• 1988 – Sergio Busquets, a Spanish footballer.
• 1989 – Gareth Bale, a Welsh footballer.
• 1990 – Wizkid, a Nigerian singer and songwriter.
• 1996 – Luke Hemmings, an Australian singer and musician from the band 5 Seconds of Summer.

Notable People Who Passed Away

Died Before 1900

• 1216 – Pope Innocent III, a powerful Pope who called for crusades.
• 1557 – Anne of Cleves, one of the wives of King Henry VIII of England.
• 1882 – Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.

Died After 1900

• 1915 – Ellen G. White, an American theologian and author.
• 1953 – Hilaire Belloc, a French-born British writer and historian.
• 1960 – Albert Kesselring, a German field marshal during World War II.
• 1985 – Heinrich Böll, a German novelist who won the Nobel Prize.
• 1989 – Herbert von Karajan, a famous Austrian conductor.
• 1994 – Julian Schwinger, an American physicist who won the Nobel Prize.
• 1999 – John F. Kennedy Jr., an American lawyer and publisher.
• 2003 – Celia Cruz, a Cuban-American singer known as the "Queen of Salsa."
• 2012 – Stephen Covey, an American businessman and author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
• 2014 – Karl Albrecht, a German businessman who co-founded the supermarket chain Aldi.
• 2017 – George Romero, an American filmmaker known for his horror movies.
• 2019 – John Paul Stevens, an American lawyer and judge who served on the Supreme Court.
• 2023 – Kevin Mitnick, a famous American hacker.

Holidays and Observances

• Christian feast day:
  • Gondulphus of Tongeren
  • Helier
  • Our Lady of Mount Carmel
    • Fiesta de La Tirana (Tarapacá Region, Chile)
  • Reineldis
  • July 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Engineer's Day (Honduras)
• Holocaust Memorial Day (France)
• Guinea Pig Appreciation Day

See also

In Spanish: 16 de julio para niños