What Happened On This Day – July 19
1903 The first Tour de France comes to an end
Maurice Garin became the first person to win the debut of the now annual bike race.
1900 Paris Metro opens
One of the densest metros in the world and the second largest metro in Europe, the first line of the Paris Metro opened during the World's Fair.
1870 Franco-Prussian War starts
The war involving France, under Napoleon and the Kingdom of Prussia began with French declaration of war. The war lasted for 9 months and ended with a German victory.
1848 Seneca Falls Convention begins
One of the first women's rights convention to be held in American history, the two-day convention attracted 300 women and men who protested the social, economic, and political discrimination American women faced.
1553 Mary I replaces Lady Jane Grey as Queen of England
Also known as Bloody Mary due to her brutal persecution of Protestants, Mary I was the only child of Catherine of Aragon and Henry III.
Births On This Day – July 19
1922 George McGovern
American politician, historian, author
1921 Harold Camping
American broadcaster, author
1834 Edgar Degas
French painter
1827 Mangal Pandey
Indian freedom fighter
1814 Samuel Colt
American inventor, industrialist, founded the Colt's Manufacturing Company
Deaths On This Day – July 19
2012 Omar Suleiman
Egyptian politician, Vice President of Egypt
2002 Alan Lomax
American historian, author, scholar
1980 Hans Morgenthau
German philosopher
1543 Mary Boleyn
English sister of Anne Boleyn
1374 Petrarch
Italian scholar, poet