#29: July 13-19

July 13, 1977 – The New York City Blackout Began

On this hot summer night, the lights suddenly went out across most of New York City. It wasn’t just for a few minutes—it lasted almost 24 hours! Subways stopped, elevators got stuck, and people couldn’t use fans or air conditioners to cool off. Many families had to light candles or use flashlights to see, and stores and homes stayed dark all night long.

Fun Fact: Some kids even slept on rooftops or fire escapes just to stay cool while waiting for the lights to come back on!

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July 15, 1916 – Boeing Was Founded

William Boeing loved building airplanes, and on this day in 1916, he officially started his own airplane company in Seattle, Washington. At the time, airplanes were still new, and most people had never flown in one! Boeing’s company helped design and build planes for delivering mail, transporting people, and even flying in space.

Fun Fact: Boeing still makes some of the biggest airplanes in the world today—some are longer than a blue whale!

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July 16, 1969 – Apollo 11 Launched to the Moon

A giant rocket named Saturn V launched from Florida, carrying three astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Their mission? To land on the moon! A few days after liftoff, Neil Armstrong became the very first person to walk on the moon, followed by Buzz Aldrin. Michael Collins stayed in the spaceship to help make sure they could all return safely.

Fun Fact: When Neil stepped onto the moon, he said the famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Listen to Episode 52: Mission Moon!

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July 17, 1902 – The First Air Conditioner Was Invented

It was a sticky, humid day when a man named Willis Carrier came up with a way to cool down the air using machines. His invention wasn’t meant for comfort at first—it was designed to keep paper from curling and ink from smudging in a printing factory. But people soon realized it could be used to cool homes, schools, and even movie theaters!

Fun Fact: Before air conditioning, people used big fans, shaded porches, and even blocks of ice to try to stay cool in the summer!

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July 19, 1799 – The Rosetta Stone Was Discovered

In Egypt, a group of Napoleon’s soldiers found a large stone with writing carved into it in three different scripts: Greek, Demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphics. This amazing discovery helped scientists figure out how to read ancient Egyptian writing that had been a mystery for thousands of years! The Rosetta Stone became one of the most important tools in understanding Egypt’s history.

Fun Fact: Without the Rosetta Stone, we might never have known what the ancient pyramids and tombs were saying in their carvings and symbols! Listen to Episode 34 and Episode 35 All about Napoleon