In 1775, George Washington assumed command of the Continental Army.
In 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg ended in a major victory for the Union states as Confederate troops retreated.
In 1890, Idaho became the 43rd U.S. state.
In 1998, Bill Clinton completed the first presidential visit to China since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.

George M. Cohan (1878-1942), songwriter/entertainer
Franz Kafka (1883-1924), writer
Tom Stoppard (1937- ), playwright, is 71.
Tom Cruise (1962- ), actor, is 46.
Moises Alou (1966- ), baseball player, is 42.

In 1993, the latest-ending game in Major League history wraped up at 4:40 a.m., after three rain delays, as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Diego Padres, 6-5, on a RBI single by relief pitcher Mitch Williams.

George M. Cohan, author of the songs “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “Over There,” among many others, often claimed to have been “born on the Fourth of July.”

“Don’t despair, not even over the fact that you don’t despair.” – Franz Kafka