In the summer of 1534, French explorers under Jacques Cartier made the first documented exchange with Indigenous peoples along the Gulf of St. Lawrence, near present-day New Brunswick. Gifts, curiosity, and caution marked the encounter. Though peaceful, it foreshadowed centuries of colonization, cultural upheaval, and shifting power dynamics between European settlers and the First Nations of Canada. A quiet moment in history with loud consequences.
1534 – First Contact in the Gulf: Strangers Meet on New Shores
On July 7th, 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte and Tsar Alexander I met aboard a raft anchored in the Neman River to sign the Treaty of Tilsit. Their unlikely meeting redrew Europe’s borders, ending the War of the Fourth Coalition. While the treaty brought temporary peace, it also cemented Napoleon’s dominance—and sowed seeds of future betrayal, as France and Russia's fragile alliance would later unravel catastrophically.
1807 – A Raft, a River, and the Fate of Europe: Treaty of Tilsit Signed
On this day, four people—including Mary Surratt, the first woman executed by the U.S. government—were hanged for their roles in the conspiracy to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. Though John Wilkes Booth was already dead, the executions stirred deep controversy, particularly over Surratt’s guilt. The case revealed the nation’s thirst for justice—and its discomfort with the blurred lines between vengeance and due process in a post-war America.
1865 – The Gallows After Lincoln: Conspirators Face Execution
The Jesse James gang continued its outlaw legacy on July 7th, 1875, robbing a train in Otterville, Missouri. They made off with cash and valuables, deepening their legend as folk heroes to some and hardened criminals to others. The gang’s violent charisma captivated the public, and this heist underscored the growing myth of the American West—a place where trains carried fortunes and danger lurked on the rails.
1875 – Jesse James Strikes Again: Otterville Train Heist
On July 7th, 1928, the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri sold pre-sliced bread for the first time, thanks to a machine by Otto Frederick Rohwedder. The convenience revolutionized American kitchens, drawing praise as the greatest innovation since—well, bread itself. Sliced bread quickly became a cultural icon, symbolizing efficiency, modernity, and the small inventions that quietly transform everyday life in ways we never expected.
