Today in History

Today is Monday, July 13, the 194th day of 2009. There are 171 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 13, 1793, French revolutionary writer Jean-Paul Marat was stabbed to death in his bath by Charlotte Corday, who was executed four days later.

On this date:

In 1787, Congress enacted an ordinance governing the Northwest Territory.

In 1863, deadly rioting against the Civil War military draft erupted in New York City. (The insurrection was put down three days later.)

In 1878, the Treaty of Berlin amended the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano, which had ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78.

In 1886, Father Edward Joseph Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town, was born in County Roscommon, Ireland.

In 1960, John F. Kennedy won the Democratic presidential nomination at his party's convention in Los Angeles.

In 1972, George McGovern claimed the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in Miami Beach, Fla.

In 1977, a blackout lasting 25 hours hit the New York City area.

In 1978, Lee Iacocca was fired as president of Ford Motor Co. by chairman Henry Ford II.

In 1979, four Palestinian guerrillas stormed the Egyptian Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, killing two guards and taking some 20 hostages. (The guerrillas surrendered 45 hours later.)

In 1985, "Live Aid," an international rock concert in London, Philadelphia, Moscow and Sydney, took place to raise money for Africa's starving people.

Ten years ago: Angel Maturino Resendiz, suspected of being the "Railroad Killer," surrendered in El Paso, Texas. (Resendiz was executed in 2006.) In Tehran, police fired tear gas to disperse 10,000 demonstrators on the sixth day of protests against Iranian hard-liners. The American League won the All-Star Game for the third straight time, defeating the National League 4-1 at Boston's Fenway Park. Stanley Kubrick's final film, "Eyes Wide Shut" starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, had its premiere in Los Angeles. (The movie opened in wide release three days later.)

Five years ago: A confidant of Osama bin Laden's (Khaled bin Ouda bin Mohammed al-Harbi) surrendered to Saudi diplomats in Iran and was flown to Saudi Arabia. The American League cruised past the National League 9-4 in the All-Star game at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

One year ago: An assault by militants on a remote U.S. base in Afghanistan close to the Pakistan border killed nine American soldiers and wounded 15. Anheuser-Busch agreed to a takeover by giant Belgian brewer InBev SA. Talk show host Les Crane died in Greenbrae, Calif., at age 74.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Patrick Stewart is 69. Actor Robert Forster is 68. Actor Harrison Ford is 67. Singer-guitarist Roger McGuinn (The Byrds) is 67. Actor-comedian Cheech Marin is 63. Actress Daphne Maxwell Reid is 61. Actress Didi Conn is 58. Singer Louise Mandrell is 55. Writer-director Cameron Crowe is 52. Tennis player Anders Jarryd is 48. Rock musician Gonzalo Martinez De La Cotera (Marcy Playground) is 47. Country singer-songwriter Victoria Shaw is 47. Bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent is 47. Actor Kenny Johnson is 46. Actor Michael Jace is 44. Country singer Neil Thrasher is 44. Singer Deborah Cox is 36. Edmonton Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray is 33. Rock musician Will Champion (Coldplay) is 31.

Thought for Today: "Individuality is freedom lived." - John Dos Passos, American author (1896-1970).

(This version CORRECTS that Cameron Crowe is a writer-director, sted actor-director.)