July 30th

620 million people were without power in India, the worst power outage in world history.

Lisa Leslie became the first woman to dunk in a professional basketball game.

The Republic of Vanuatu, formerly known as the New Hebrides, gained its independence from France and Britain.

Former Teamsters union president James Hoffa was reported missing. Many suspect he was murdered, though his remains have never been found.

President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare Bill into law.

The phrase 'In God We Trust' was adopted as the U.S. national motto.

The USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sank within 15 minutes. It was one of the greatest naval losses of World War II, resulting in the deaths of nearly 900 men.

1st Penguin book is published, starting the paperback revolution.

The tenth modern Olympic Games opened in Los Angeles.

The Charles, considered the world’s first "oil tanker", departs from the United States headed for Europe with a bulk capacity of 7,000 barrels of oil.

Indian Wars: Chief Pocatello of the Shoshone tribe signs the Treaty of Box Elder, promising to stop harassing the emigrant trails in southern Idaho and northern Utah.

The U.S. city of Baltimore was founded.

The first legislative assembly in English North America convened in Jamestown, Va.

First defenestration of Prague: anti-Catholic Hussites, followers of executed reformer Jan Hus, storm Prague town hall and throw the judge, mayor and several city council members out the windows. They die in the fall or killed by crowd outside.

Frederick I (Barbarossa), Holy Roman Emperor, crowned King of Burgundy.