July 7^th in history

Encyclopædia Britannica presents people and events from this day in history:

Kim Il-sung: Biography of the Day

Kim Il-sung

Kim Il-sung, the communist leader of North Korea (1948–94) whose invasion of South Korea in 1950 launched the Korean War, died on this day in 1994 in P'yngyang and was succeeded by his son Kim Jong Il.

 

Philip C. Johnson: Biography of the Day

Philip C. Johnson

"You can't learn architecture any more than you can learn a sense of music or of painting. You shouldn't talk about art, you should do it."

Philip C. Johnson, informal talk to students, School of Architectural Design, Harvard University, 1954

Philip C. Johnson, an American architect and critic known for his promotion of the International style and, later, for his role in defining postmodernist architecture, was born this day in 1906 in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Vasco da Gama's first voyage to India: 8 July 1497 - This Day in History

On this day in 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon with a fleet of four vessels, and he ultimately opened a sea route from western Europe to Asia by way of the Cape of Good Hope, ushering in a new era in world history.

More Events on this day:

1950: Douglas MacArthur was appointed commander of United Nations forces in the Korean War.

1896: William Jennings Bryan delivered his “Cross of Gold” speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

1889: Journalist Charles Henry Dow published the first issue of The Wall Street Journal.

1889: John L. Sullivan beat Jake Kilrain in 75 rounds to defend his title in the last heavyweight championship bout held under London Prize Ring rules.

1833: The Treaty of Hünkâr skelesi, a defensive alliance between the Ottoman Empire and Russia, was signed at the village of Hünkâr skelesi, near Istanbul.

1815: Louis XVIII returned to Paris following the Hundred Days.