This Day in History – July 19

Here are five remarkable events that occurred on July 19 throughout history, spanning revolutions, sports, space, and social justice:

1. 1848 – First Women’s Rights Convention Begins in Seneca Falls

In 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention in the United States, convened in Seneca Falls, New York. Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, the two-day event drew over 300 attendees, including abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The group debated and ultimately adopted the Declaration of Sentiments, modeled after the Declaration of Independence, asserting that “all men and women are created equal.”

Significance:
This landmark event marked the formal beginning of the organized women’s rights movement in America. The call for women’s suffrage and equality laid the groundwork for decades of activism, culminating in the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Interesting Fact:
Of the 100 signers of the Declaration of Sentiments, only one—Charlotte Woodward—lived to see women gain the right to vote nationally.

2. 1969 – Apollo 11 Enters Lunar Orbit

On July 19, 1969, Apollo 11 entered orbit around the Moon, setting the stage for the historic Moon landing by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin the next day. The spacecraft completed 13 orbits while the astronauts scouted their landing site in the Sea of Tranquility.

Significance:
Apollo 11 represented the peak of the U.S.–Soviet space race and remains one of humanity’s greatest scientific and engineering achievements. It fulfilled President Kennedy’s 1961 goal of landing a man on the Moon before the decade’s end.

Interesting Fact:
While in lunar orbit, astronaut Michael Collins remained alone in the Command Module, becoming one of the most isolated humans in history—out of radio contact during every far-side pass of the Moon.

3. 1870 – France Declares War on Prussia (Franco-Prussian War Begins)

On this day in 1870, France declared war on Prussia, initiating the Franco-Prussian War. The conflict was provoked by the manipulation of diplomatic communications (the Ems Dispatch) by Otto von Bismarck, who sought to unify the German states.

Significance:
The war resulted in a resounding Prussian victory, the fall of the French Second Empire, and the unification of Germany under Prussian leadership. It drastically shifted the balance of power in Europe and sowed seeds of animosity that would later contribute to World War I.

Interesting Fact:
The French defeat led to the siege of Paris and the brief rise of the Paris Commune, an early socialist government.

4. 1996 – Deadly Bombing at Atlanta Olympics

During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, a bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park, killing two people and injuring over 100 others. The attack shocked the nation and marred the celebratory spirit of the international games.

Significance:
The bombing raised concerns about security at global events and led to major overhauls in public safety planning. Initially, security guard Richard Jewell was wrongly accused, only later to be exonerated. The true bomber, Eric Robert Rudolph, was arrested years later.

Interesting Fact:
Despite the bombing, the Olympic Games continued, symbolizing resilience and defiance against terrorism.

5. 1553 – Lady Jane Grey Deposed After 9 Days as Queen of England

On July 19, 1553, Mary Tudor (Mary I) seized the English throne from her cousin, Lady Jane Grey, who had been proclaimed queen just nine days earlier following the death of Edward VI. Lady Jane was imprisoned and eventually executed.

Significance:
Lady Jane Grey is often remembered as the “Nine Days’ Queen” and a tragic pawn in political power plays during the Tudor succession crisis. Mary I’s rise marked the return of Catholicism to England, leading to religious persecution known as the Marian burnings.

Interesting Fact:
Lady Jane Grey was only 16 years old when she was forced onto the throne—and she never wanted the crown.