August 7 - The Day in History - 1947: Wood raft makes 4,300-mile voyage

August 7 : General Interest 1947: Wood raft makes 4,300-mile voyage On this day in 1947, Kon-Tiki, a balsa wood raft captained by Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl, completes a 4,300-mile, 101-day journey from Peru to Raroia in the Tuamotu Archipelago, near Tahiti... read more American Revolution 1782 : Washington creates the Purple Heart http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/washington-creates-the-purple-heart Automotive 1944 : Volkswagen halts production during World War II http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/volkswagen-halts-production-during-world-war-ii Civil War 1836 : Confederate General Evander Law is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/evander-law-is-born Cold War 1964 : Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-passes-gulf-of-tonkin-resolution Crime 1945 : Georgia institutes a State Board of Corrections http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/georgia-institutes-a-state-board-of-corrections Disaster 1956 : Mysterious explosions in Colombia http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mysterious-explosions-in-colombia General Interest 1912 : Teddy Roosevelt nominated as Bull Moose candidate http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/teddy-roosevelt-nominated-as-bull-moose-candidate 1959 : U.S. satellite photographs earth http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-satellite-photographs-earth 1998 : U.S. embassies in East Africa bombed http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/andy-warhol-is-born 2005 : Trapped Russian sub rescued http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/trapped-russian-sub-rescued Hollywood 1975 : Actress Charlize Theron born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/actress-charlize-theron-born Literary 1754 : Henry Fielding leaves London for Lisbon http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/henry-fielding-leaves-london-for-lisbon Music 1997 : A free concert by Garth Brooks draws the last "six-figure crowd" to New York City's Central Park http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-free-concert-by-garth-brooks-draws-the-last-quotsix-figure-crowdquot-to-new-york-citys-central-park Old West 1869 : Astronomer impresses Indians with eclipse http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/astronomer-impresses-indians-with-eclipse Presidential 1990 : Bush orders Operation Desert Shield http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bush-orders-operation-desert-shield Sports 1987 : Lynne Cox swims into communist territory http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lynne-cox-swims-into-communist-territory Vietnam War 1964 : Tonkin Gulf Resolution is passed http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tonkin-gulf-resolution-is-passed 1967 : North Vietnam and People's Republic of China sign aid agreement http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/north-vietnam-and-peoples-republic-of-china-sign-aid-agreement World War I 1914 : Battle of Mulhouse begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-mulhouse-begins World War II 1942 : U.S. forces invade Guadalcanal http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-forces-invade-guadalcanal

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