The activities that took place on July 31st-
2012
In the 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay, which the United States won at the London Summer Olympics, American swimmer Michael Phelps earned his remarkable 19th career Olympic medal, breaking the previous mark held by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.
1965
J.K. Rowling, a British author and the brains behind the hugely successful Harry Potter series, was born.
1948
Idlewild Airport was originally inaugurated as New York International Airport by American President Harry S. Truman in 1948. In 1963, it was rededicated as John F. Kennedy International Airport.
1912
American Economist, Milton Friedman was born on this date
1971
On this day in 1971, James B. Irwin and David Scott of Apollo 15 conducted the first extended lunar surface exploration using the four-wheeled, battery-powered Lunar Roving Vehicle. They focused particularly on the Hadley-Apennine region.
1667
The Second Anglo-Dutch War was put an end by the Treaty of Breda, which also gave England control over New Netherland (modern-day New York and New Jersey).
1556
The Roman Catholic Church’s Jesuit order was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola, who passed away in Rome.
By Nishtha Dhoundiyal
