Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1776, American Revolution: The United States Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress. In 1818, US Flag Act of 1818 goes into effect creating a 13 stripe flag with a star for each state. New stars would be added on July 4 after a new state had been admitted. In 1826, Thomas Jefferson, American architect, lawyer, and politician, 3rd President of the United States (born 1743) passed away. In 1826, John Adams, American lawyer and politician, 2nd President of the United States (born 1735) passed away. In 1831, Samuel Francis Smith writes "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities. In 1982, Space Shuttle program: Columbia lands at Edwards Air Force Base at the end of the program's final test flight, STS-4. President Ronald Reagan declares the Space Shuttle to be operational. In 2006, Space Shuttle program: Discovery launches STS-121 to the International Space Station. The event gained wide media attention as it was the only shuttle launch in the program's history to occur on the United States' Independence Day. In 2008, A bomb explodes at a concert in Minsk's Independence Square, injuring 50 people. In 2009, The Statue of Liberty's crown reopens to the public after eight years of closure due to security concerns following the September 11 attacks. In 2012, The discovery of particles consistent with the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider is announced at CERN. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.