July 2
This date marks the halfway point of the year. In common years, the midpoint of the year occurs at noon on this date, while in leap years, it occurs at midnight.
Events
Pre-1600
- 626 - Li Shimin, the future Emperor Taizong of Tang, ambushes and kills his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng in the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
- 866 - Battle of Brissarthe: The Franks led by Robert the Strong are defeated by a joint Breton-Viking army.
- 1298 - Battle of Göllheim: Albert I of Habsburg defeats Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg.
- 1494 - Age of Discovery: The Treaty of Tordesillas is ratified by Spain.
- 1582 - Battle of Yamazaki: Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeats Akechi Mitsuhide.
1601–1900
- 1644 - English Civil War: Battle of Marston Moor.
- 1645 - Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of Alford.
- 1776 - American Revolution: The Continental Congress adopts the Lee Resolution severing ties with the Kingdom of Great Britain, although the wording of the formal Declaration of Independence is not adopted until July 4.
- 1823 - Bahia Independence Day: The Siege of Salvador ends Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the province of Bahia.
- 1840 - A 7.4 earthquake strikes present-day Turkey and Armenia; combined with the effects of an eruption on Mount Ararat, kills 10,000 people.
- 1863 - American Civil War: On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg - the Battle of Little Round Top takes place and results in an Union victory after the Confederate troops unsuccessfully tries to assault the Union left flank.
- 1881 - Charles J. Guiteau shoots and fatally wounds U.S. President James A. Garfield.
- 1890 - The U.S. Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act.
1901–present
- 1921 - World War I: U.S. President Warren G. Harding signs the Knox–Porter Resolution formally ending the war between the United States and Germany.
- 1934 - The Night of the Long Knives ends after three days of killings.
- 1937 - Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are last heard from over the Pacific Ocean and disappear while attempting to make the first equatorial round-the-world flight.
- 1964 - Civil rights movement: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meant to prohibit segregation in public places.
- 1966 - France conducts its first nuclear weapon test in the Pacific, on Moruroa Atoll.
- 1976 - End of South Vietnam; Communist North Vietnam annexes the former South Vietnam to form the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
- 1986 - Rodrigo Rojas and Carmen Gloria Quintana are burnt alive during a street demonstration against the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet in Chile in the Quemados case.
- 1986 - Aeroflot Flight 2306 crashes while attempting an emergency landing at Syktyvkar Airport in Syktyvkar, in present-day Komi Republic, Russia, killing 54 people.
- 1990 - In the 1990 Mecca tunnel tragedy, 1,400 Muslim pilgrims are suffocated to death and trampled upon in a pedestrian tunnel leading to the holy city of Mecca.
- 1994 - USAir Flight 1016 crashes near Charlotte Douglas International Airport, killing 37 of the 57 people on board.
- 1997 - The Bank of Thailand floats the baht, triggering the Asian financial crisis.
- 2000 - Vicente Fox Quesada is elected the first President of México from an opposition party, the Partido Acción Nacional, after more than 70 years of continuous rule by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional, in the 2000 Mexican general election.
- 2005 - The Live 8 benefit concerts takes place in the G8 states and in South Africa. More than 1,000 musicians perform and are broadcast on 182 television networks and 2,000 radio networks.
- 2013 - A magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes Aceh, Indonesia, killing at least 42 people and injuring 420 others.
- 2024 - A stampede during a religious event in Uttar Pradesh, India, leaves at least 121 people dead and 150 others injured.
Births
Pre-1600
- 419 - Valentinian III, Roman emperor
- 1478 - Louis V, Elector Palatine
- 1486 - Jacopo Sansovino, Italian sculptor and architect
- 1489 - Thomas Cranmer, English archbishop, theologian, and Protestant martyr
- 1492 - Elizabeth Tudor, English daughter of Henry VII of England
- 1597 - Theodoor Rombouts, Flemish painter
1601–1900
- 1647 - Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, English politician, Lord President of the Council
- 1648 - Arp Schnitger, German organ builder
- 1665 - Samuel Penhallow, English-American soldier and historian
- 1667 - Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal and art collector
- 1714 - Christoph Willibald Gluck, German composer
- 1724 - Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, German poet and author
- 1797 - Francisco Javier Echeverría, Mexican businessman and politician. President of Mexico
- 1819 - Charles-Louis Hanon, French pianist and composer
- 1820 - George Law Curry, American publisher and politician, 5th Governor of the Oregon Territory
- 1820 - Juan N. Méndez, Mexican general and interim president, 1876-1877
- 1821 - Charles Tupper, Canadian physician and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Canada
- 1825 - Émile Ollivier, French statesman
- 1834 - Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack, Dutch economist and historian
- 1849 - Maria Theresa of Austria-Este
- 1862 - William Henry Bragg, English physicist, chemist, and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1865 - Lily Braun, German author and publicist
- 1869 - Liane de Pougy, French-Swiss dancer and author
- 1876 - Harriet Brooks, Canadian physicist and academic
- 1876 - Wilhelm Cuno, German businessman and politician, Chancellor of Germany
- 1877 - Hermann Hesse, German-born Swiss poet, novelist, and painter, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1877 - Rinaldo Cuneo, American artist
- 1881 - Royal Hurlburt Weller, American lawyer and politician
- 1884 - Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist and author
- 1893 - Ralph Hancock, Welsh gardener and author
- 1900 - Tyrone Guthrie, English actor and director
1901–present
- 1902 - K. Kanapathypillai, Sri Lankan author and academic
- 1903 - Alec Douglas-Home, English cricketer and politician, 66th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- 1903 - Olav V, Norwegian king, 1957–1991
- 1904 - René Lacoste, French tennis player and businessman, created the polo shirt
- 1906 - Hans Bethe, German-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1906 - Károly Kárpáti, Hungarian Jewish wrestler
- 1906 - Séra Martin, French middle-distance runner
- 1908 - Thurgood Marshall, American lawyer and civil rights activist, 32nd Solicitor General of the United States, and former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
- 1911 - Reg Parnell, English race car driver and manager
- 1913 - Max Beloff, Baron Beloff, English historian and academic
- 1914 - Frederick Fennell, American conductor and educator
- 1914 - Mário Schenberg, Brazilian physicist and engineer
- 1914 - Erich Topp, German admiral
- 1915 - Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, British peer, politician and soldier
- 1916 - Ken Curtis, American actor and singer
- 1916 - Hans-Ulrich Rudel, German colonel and pilot
- 1916 - Reino Kangasmäki, Finnish wrestler
- 1916 - Zélia Gattai, Brazilian author and photographer
- 1917 - Leonard J. Arrington, American author and academic, founded the Mormon History Association
- 1918 - Athos Bulcão, Brazilian painter and sculptor
- 1919 - Jean Craighead George, American author
- 1920 - John Kneubuhl, Samoan-American historian, screenwriter, and playwright
- 1922 - Pierre Cardin, Italian-French fashion designer
- 1922 - Paula Valenska, Czech actress
- 1923 - Cyril M. Kornbluth, American soldier and author
- 1923 - Wisława Szymborska, Polish poet and translator, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1924 - Chia-ying Yeh, Chinese-born Canadian poet and sinologist
- 1925 - Medgar Evers, American soldier and activist
- 1925 - Patrice Lumumba, Congolese politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- 1925 - Marvin Rainwater, American singer-songwriter
- 1926 - Octavian Paler, Romanian journalist and politician
- 1927 - Lee Allen, American saxophone player
- 1927 - James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern, Scottish lawyer and politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
- 1927 - Brock Peters, American actor
- 1929 - Imelda Marcos, Filipino politician; 10th First Lady of the Philippines
- 1930 - Ahmad Jamal, American jazz musician
- 1930 - Carlos Menem, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 50th President of Argentina
- 1932 - Dave Thomas, American businessman and philanthropist, founded Wendy's
- 1933 - Peter Desbarats, Canadian journalist, author, and playwright
- 1933 - Kenny Wharram, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1934 - Tom Springfield, English musician
- 1935 - Gilbert Kalish, American pianist and educator
- 1936 - Omar Suleiman, Egyptian general and politician, 16th Vice President of Egypt
- 1937 - Polly Holliday, American actress
- 1937 - Richard Petty, American race car driver and sportscaster
- 1938 - David Owen, English physician and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- 1939 - Mike Castle, American politician, 69th Governor of Delaware
- 1939 - Alexandros Panagoulis, Greek poet and politician
- 1939 - John H. Sununu, American engineer and politician, 14th White House Chief of Staff
- 1939 - Paul Williams, American singer and choreographer
- 1940 - Kenneth Clarke, English politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
- 1940 - Georgi Ivanov, Bulgarian military officer, cosmonaut and politician
- 1941 - William Guest, American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1941 - Wendell Mottley, Trinidadian sprinter, economist, and politician
- 1942 - John Eekelaar, South African-English lawyer and scholar
- 1942 - Vicente Fox, Mexican businessman and politician, 35th President of Mexico
- 1943 - Larry Lake, American-Canadian trumpet player and composer
- 1946 - Richard Axel, American neuroscientist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1946 - Ron Silver, American actor, director, and political activist
- 1947 - Larry David, American actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter
- 1947 - Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, English politician, Minister for International Security Strategy
- 1948 - Mutula Kilonzo, Kenyan lawyer and politician
- 1949 - Greg Brown, American musician
- 1949 - Robert Paquette, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1950 - Lynne Brindley, English librarian and academic
- 1950 - Jon Trickett, English politician
- 1952 - Sylvia Rivera, American transgender rights activist
- 1952 - Anatoliy Solomin, Ukrainian race walker and coach
- 1954 - Chris Huhne, English journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
- 1954 - Wendy Schaal, American actress
- 1955 - Kim Carr, Australian educator and politician, 31st Australian Minister for Human Services
- 1956 - Jerry Hall, American model and actress
- 1957 - Bret Hart, Canadian wrestler
- 1957 - Jüri Raidla, Estonian lawyer and politician, Estonian Minister of Justice
- 1957 - Purvis Short, American basketball player
- 1958 - Pavan Malhotra, Indian actor
- 1959 - Erwin Olaf, Dutch photographer
- 1961 - Clark Kellogg, American basketball player and sportscaster
- 1962 - Neil Williams, English cricketer
- 1964 - Jose Canseco, Cuban-American baseball player and mixed martial artist
- 1964 - Ozzie Canseco, Cuban-American baseball player, coach, and manager
- 1964 - Joe Magrane, American baseball player and sportscaster
- 1965 - Norbert Röttgen, German lawyer and politician
- 1969 - Tim Rodber, English rugby player
- 1970 - Derrick Adkins, American hurdler
- 1970 - Steve Morrow, Northern Irish footballer and manager
- 1971 - Troy Brown, American football player and actor
- 1971 - Bryan Redpath, Scottish rugby player and coach
- 1972 - Darren Shan, Irish author
- 1974 - Sean Casey, American baseball player and sportscaster
- 1975 - Éric Dazé, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1975 - Kristen Michal, Estonian lawyer and politician
- 1975 - Elizabeth Reaser, American actress
- 1975 - Stefan Terblanche, South African rugby player
- 1976 - Krisztián Lisztes, Hungarian footballer
- 1976 - Tomáš Vokoun, Czech-American ice hockey player
- 1976 - Ľudovít Ódor, Prime minister of Slovakia
- 1977 - Deniz Barış, Turkish footballer
- 1978 - Jüri Ratas, Estonian politician, 42nd Mayor of Tallinn
- 1979 - Walter Davis, American triple jumper
- 1979 - Ahmed al-Ghamdi, Saudi Arabian terrorist, hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175
- 1979 - Sam Hornish Jr., American race car driver
- 1979 - Joe Thornton, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1980 - Nyjer Morgan, American baseball player
- 1981 - Nathan Ellington, English footballer
- 1981 - Carlos Rogers, American football player
- 1983 - Michelle Branch, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1983 - Kyle Hogg, English cricketer
- 1984 - Thomas Kortegaard, Danish footballer
- 1984 - Johnny Weir, American figure skater
- 1985 - Chad Henne, American football player
- 1985 - Ashley Tisdale, American actress, singer, and producer
- 1986 - Brett Cecil, American baseball player
- 1986 - Lindsay Lohan, American actress and singer
- 1987 - Esteban Granero, Spanish footballer
- 1988 - Lee Chung-yong, South Korean footballer
- 1989 - Nadezhda Grishaeva, Russian basketball player
- 1989 - Alex Morgan, American soccer player
- 1990 - Kayla Harrison, American judoka
- 1990 - Merritt Mathias, American soccer player
- 1990 - Morag McLellan, Scottish field hockey player
- 1990 - Margot Robbie, Australian actress and producer
- 1990 - Danny Rose, English footballer
- 1990 - Bill Tupou, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1992 - Madison Chock, American ice dancer
- 1993 - Vince Staples, American rapper and actor
- 1993 - Saweetie, American rapper
- 1994 - Henrik Kristoffersen, Norwegian skier
- 1994 - Derrick White, American basketball player
- 1995 - Ryan Murphy, American swimmer
- 1996 - Julia Grabher, Austrian tennis player