Today in History

Today is Friday, July 10, the 191st day of 2009. There are 174 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

Five hundred years ago, on July 10, 1509, French theologian John Calvin, a key figure of the Protestant Reformation, was born Jean Cauvin in Noyon, Picardy, France.

On this date:

In 1890, Wyoming became the 44th state.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson personally delivered the Treaty of Versailles to the Senate, and urged its ratification. (However, the Senate rejected it.)

In 1929, American paper currency was reduced in size as the government began issuing bills that were approximately 25 percent smaller.

In 1940, during World War II, the Battle of Britain began as Nazi forces began attacking southern England by air. (The Royal Air Force was ultimately victorious.)

In 1951, armistice talks aimed at ending the Korean War began at Kaesong.

In 1962, the Telstar 1 communications satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

In 1973, the Bahamas became fully independent after three centuries of British colonial rule.

In 1979, conductor Arthur Fiedler, who had led the Boston Pops orchestra for a half-century, died in Brookline, Mass., at age 84.

In 1989, Mel Blanc, the "man of a thousand voices," including such cartoon characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, died in Los Angeles at age 81.

In 1991, Boris N. Yeltsin took the oath of office as the first elected president of the Russian republic.

Ten years ago: The United States women's soccer team won the World Cup, beating China 5-4 on penalty kicks after 120 minutes of scoreless play at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address that legalizing gay marriage would redefine the most fundamental institution of civilization, and that a constitutional amendment was needed to protect traditional marriage.

One year ago: President George W. Bush signed a bill overhauling rules about government eavesdropping and granting immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the U.S. spy on Americans in suspected terrorism cases. The Senate handily confirmed Gen. David Petraeus as the top commander in the Middle East. Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena, refusing to testify about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department.

Today's Birthdays: Eunice Kennedy Shriver is 88. Former boxer Jake LaMotta is 88. Writer-producer Earl Hamner Jr. is 86. Former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins is 82. Actor William Smithers is 82. Broadway composer Jerry Herman is 78. Director Ivan Passer is 76. Actor Lawrence Pressman is 70. Singer Mavis Staples is 70. Actor Mills Watson is 69. Actor Robert Pine is 68. Rock musician Jerry Miller (Moby Grape) is 66. Tennis player Virginia Wade is 64. Actor Ron Glass is 64. Actress Sue Lyon is 63. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 62. Rock musician Dave Smalley is 60. Country-folk singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler is 58. Rock singer Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) is 55. Banjo player Bela Fleck is 51. Country musician Shaw Wilson (BR549) is 49. Country singer-songwriter Ken Mellons is 44. Rock musician Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros) is 44. Country singer Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts) is 39. Actress Sofia Vergara is 37. Actor Adrian Grenier is 33. Actor Thomas Ian Nicholas is 29. Singer-actress Jessica Simpson is 29. Rock musician John Spiker is 28.

Thought for Today: "A concept is stronger than a fact." - Charlotte Perkins Gilman, American economist and feminist (1860-1935).