On This Day – July 31st: From Milestones in Space to Shifts in Empire

Discover key events that happened on July 31st throughout history, from lunar exploration to colonial transformations, famous birthdays, and global observances.

📅 What Day Is July 31st?

• Gregorian Calendar: July 31st is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years), with just 153 days left in the calendar year.

• Zodiac Sign: Still under Leo, this date radiates themes of boldness, ambition, and dramatic turning points.

• Seasonal Context:

  • Northern Hemisphere: The height of summer, marked by both celebration and reflection.

  • Southern Hemisphere: Deep winter, a time of endurance and planning.

🎉 Holidays and Observances on July 31st

🇨🇭 Swiss National Fast Day (varies annually)

• While not fixed to July 31 every year, it often falls close to this date.

• It is a time for reflection, prayer, and national unity, rooted in historical calls for divine guidance during times of crisis.

📜 Major Historical Events on July 31st

🌕 1971 – Lunar Rover Used for the First Time (Apollo 15)

• On this day, astronauts David Scott and James Irwin used the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) for the first time.

• Apollo 15 was the first mission to carry a lunar rover, enabling astronauts to explore farther and faster across the Moon’s surface.

• This marked a giant leap not only in human exploration but also in engineering, allowing greater scientific return from lunar missions.

🇧🇪 1960 – Independence of the Republic of Dahomey (Now Benin)

• Benin, then known as Dahomey, gained independence from France on July 31, 1960.

• The newly sovereign state became one of many African nations liberated in the wave of decolonisation that swept the continent during the 1960s.

• It became the Republic of Benin in 1975, embracing its rich cultural heritage and pre-colonial roots.

🧬 1790 – First U.S. Patent Issued

• The first U.S. patent was granted to Samuel Hopkins for a method of producing potash (used in fertilizer and soap).

• Signed by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Edmund Randolph, this moment set the precedent for American innovation and intellectual property protection.

🏰 1498 – Columbus Discovers Trinidad

• On his third voyage, Christopher Columbus sighted the island of Trinidad, naming it after the Holy Trinity.

• This discovery expanded Spanish exploration in the Caribbean and marked the beginning of Trinidad’s long colonial history.

• Indigenous populations, like the Arawak and Carib peoples, were forever changed by the arrival of European settlers.

📽️ 1928 – MGM Lion’s First Roar (Leo the Lion)

• The iconic MGM Lion, known as Leo, first roared on screen on July 31, 1928.

• It became one of the most recognizable film logos in cinematic history, symbolizing Hollywood’s golden age and the power of visual storytelling.

🎂 Famous Birthdays on July 31st

⚡ J.K. Rowling (1965)

• British author best known for creating the Harry Potter series.

• The books became a global phenomenon, translated into dozens of languages and adapted into a blockbuster film franchise.

• She shares her birthday with her beloved character, Harry Potter, born July 31, 1980, in the book’s lore.

⚖️ Milton Friedman (1912)

• Nobel Prize–winning economist and leading voice of free-market capitalism.

• His theories reshaped economic policy in the 20th century, influencing Reaganomics and Thatcherism.

• Advocated for minimal government intervention, yet sparked intense debate on income inequality and public welfare.

🎬 Wesley Snipes (1962)

• American actor, producer, and martial artist.

• Known for action films like Blade, which helped pave the way for modern superhero cinema.

• Also recognized for his contributions to Black representation in Hollywood.

🧪 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929)

• Although not born on this date, Jacqueline Kennedy died on this day in 1994, aged 64.

• As First Lady of the United States, she became a style icon, cultural patron, and steadfast figure during the tragedy of JFK’s assassination.

💡 Fascinating Facts About July 31st

• The Lunar Rover used on Apollo 15 could travel up to 8 miles per hour, making it a Moon-based version of a dune buggy!

• J.K. Rowling once worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary before her writing took off. Her debut book was rejected by 12 publishers before success.

• Samuel Hopkins’ potash patent was only 57 words long — a far cry from today’s dense legal patent documents.

🔁 Why July 31st Is Worth Remembering

From revolutionary space tech to national independence, from economic philosophy to magical storytelling — July 31st is a treasure trove of human achievement, global transformation, and imagination. It bridges science, literature, politics, and cultural evolution.

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1418

 

In 1418 King Henry V began his siege of Rouen as part of his Conquest of Normandy in the Hundred Years War.

 

Henry V was a great military leader and even as a teenager he fought in the battle of Shrewsbury on the 21^st of July 1403 along side his father Henry IV. He also fought against the rebellion uprising in Wales that started on the 16^th of September 1400 which was led by Owen Glendower, the last native Welshman to rule the throne. The success of the campaign against Glendower stabilised the English rule of Wales.

 

Henry ascended to the English throne on the 21^st of March 1413 (aged 27) in the middle of the “Hundred Years War” (1337-1453) against France. Within two years as king, Henry V, led his men to success in the battle of Agincourt against a vastly larger French army. Despite his supplies being low and his men having marched for two and a half weeks Henry fought in hand-to-hand combat leading his army to victory on the 25^th of October 1415. Between 1417 and 1419 King Henry V continued his military campaign with the “Conquest of Normandy” and on the 31^st of July 1418, the siege of Rouen began. The city was one of the largest in France and had around 70,000 inhabitants. Henry’s forces surrounded the city walls allowing no supplies in and no one to leave. The leaders of Rouen forced their poor to leave the city and as Henry wouldn’t let anyone breach their blockade they were forced to live in a ditch, slowly starving to death. The People of Rouen became so hungry they eat cats, dogs, horses and mice and by the 19^th of January 1419, the city surrendered.

 

When Rouen fell the French monarch, King Charles VI, signed the Treaty of Troyes which gave Henry the hand of his daughter, Catherine of Valois, in marriage and promised the throne to Henry V and his descendants upon his death. On the 2^nd of June 1420, Henry married Catherine of Valois and on the 6^th of December 1421, she gave birth to their son Henry.

 

On the 10^th of June 1421 Henry V left for France and what would be his final campaign where he relieved his forces that were besieged in Dreux. He relieved his forces and they went on to capture Meux in Paris on the 2^nd of May 1422. It was while in France shortly after the victory that Henry V died mysteriously aged 35 on the 31^st of August 1422. Henry V never met his son who became Henry VI of England upon his death. Just one month later Henry VI's maternal grandfather, King Charles VI of France, died making Henry King of both Kingdoms aged 11 months.  England was governed by regents until 1437 when Henry was 16 and was believed to be of age to rule. In France, King Charles VI's son, who had dis-inherited the French throne through the Treaty of Troyes, had proclaimed himself King Charles VII of France and ruled the land south of the Loire River.