July 26 - This Day in History

July 26 : General Interest
1775: U.S. postal system established

On this day in 1775, the U.S. postal system is established by the Second Continental Congress, with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general. Franklin (1706-1790) put in place the foundation for many aspects... read more


American Revolution
1775 : Congress establishes U.S. Post Office
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-establishes-us-post-office


Automotive
1998 : Three race fans killed at Michigan Speedway
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/three-race-fans-killed-at-michigan-speedway


Civil War
1863 : Confederate leader John Hunt Morgan captured
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-hunt-morgan-is-captured


Cold War
1947 : Truman signs the National Security Act
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-signs-the-national-security-act


Crime
1984 : Real-life Psycho Ed Gein dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/real-life-psycho-ed-gein-dies


Disaster
1931 : Grasshoppers bring ruin to Midwest
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/grasshoppers-bring-ruin-to-midwest


General Interest
1847 : Liberian independence proclaimed
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/liberian-independence-proclaimed

1908 : FBI founded
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fbi-founded

1945 : Winston Churchill resigns
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/winston-churchill-tenders-resignation

1956 : Egypt nationalizes the Suez Canal
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/egypt-nationalizes-the-suez-canal


Hollywood
1943 : Entertainer Mick Jagger born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/entertainer-mick-jagger-born


Literary
1942 : William Faulkner begins a screenwriting stint
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/william-faulkner-begins-a-screenwriting-stint


Music
1975 : Van McCoy's "The Hustle" is the #1 song in America
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/van-mccoys-quotthe-hustlequot-is-the-1-song-in-america


Old West
1878 : Officer Wyatt Earp fatally wounds cowboy
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/officer-wyatt-earp-fatally-wounds-cowboy


Presidential
1797 : John Quincy Adams marries Louisa Johnson
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-quincy-adams-marries-louisa-johnson


Sports
1952 : Bob Mathias wins second Olympic decathlon
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bob-mathias-wins-second-olympic-decathlon


Vietnam War
1968 : South Vietnamese opposition leader tried and sentenced
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnamese-opposition-leader-tried-and-sentenced

1972 : South Vietnamese troops raise flag over Quang Tri
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/south-vietnamese-troops-raise-flag-over-quang-tri


World War I
1916 : Australians battle Germans at Pozieres
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/australians-battle-germans-at-pozieres


World War II
1941 : United States freezes Japanese assets
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/united-states-freezes-japanese-assets