July 21 is the 202 day of the year - 203rd in leap years - in the Gregorian calendar. On this day, there are 163 days remaining until the end of the year. This day helped shaped cultural, historical, and entertainment history. For instance, in 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edward "Buzz" Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.http://teacher.scholastic.com/space/apollo11/moonwalk.htm, Also, the first true Western showdown occurred in 1865 when Wild Bill Hickok shot and killed Davis Tutt in the market square of Springfield, Missouri.http://abacom.com/~jkrause/hickok.html With so much history on this day, it leaves one to wonder what this day will hold for our future.
The First Moon Walk
It was 9:30 p.m. in Houston, Texas. Armstrong and Aldrin start to prepare for their first steps on the moon. Armstrong is first out of the shuttle; the TV camera comes on as he starts to descend from the shuttle. 600 million people watch as his feet start to touch the surface. Then, it's time for Armstrong to utter the 11 most famous words in American history, "That's one small step for man . . . one giant leap for mankind." As Aldrin makes his way to the surface, he exclaims "Beautiful! Beautiful! Magnificent desolation". The pair plant an American flag in the moon, gather some rocks for experiments, then head back home to planet Earth.http://teacher.scholastic.com/space/apollo11/moonwalk.htm
This page features some of the other notable happenings, events, and stories from July 9 past, present, and even future.
AP Today in History
Associated Press provides this descriptive Today in History video on July 21st. Some of the points of the video include the conviction of John Scopes in 1925 for teaching Darwin's theory in the classroom. The trial was known as the Scopes Monkey Trial. Scopes was convicted of violating state law but the decision was later overturned on a technicality.
The 2000s
- 2002: Telecommunication company WorldCom Inc declared bankruptcy after admitting inflated profits.
The 1950s
- 1954: France surrendered North Vietnam to the Communists.
The 1920s
- 1925: The Scopes Trial in Nashville, Tennessee ended as teacher John T. Scopes was convicted for teaching Evolution
The 300s
- 365: An estimated 45,000 were killed after a powerful earthquake off the coast of Greece causes a tsunami that devastates the city of Alexandria, Egypt.
July 21 Moment in Zen
- 2008: The media reports on how well "The Dark Knight" did over the weekend.
- 2003: A grazing bull with very big horns.
- 1999: A dentist scrapes plaque off of Dave Blog's tooth.
- 2005: Schwarzenegger borrows a phrase from one of his hit movies to promote tourism in California
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Moment of Zen - I'll Be Back | ||||
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Holidays and Observances
Famous Birthdays
- 1989: Jamie Waylett - Harry Potter Films
- 1973: Ali Landry - Superstars
- 1957: Jon Lovitz - SNL Alumni
- 1948: Cat Stevens - Musician
- 1899: Ernest Hemingway - Author
Famous Deaths
- 1998: Alan Shepard - Apollo 14
- 1967: Jimmie Foxx - Fmr Boston Red Sox
