Today in History

Today is Friday, July 3, the 184th day of 2015. There are 181 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 3, 1863, the three-day Civil War Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania ended in a major victory for the North as Confederate troops failed to breach Union positions during an assault known as Pickett's Charge.

On this date:

In 1608, the city of Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain.

In 1775, Gen. George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 1890, Idaho became the 43rd state of the Union.

In 1913, during a 50th anniversary reunion at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Civil War veterans re-enacted Pickett's Charge, which ended with embraces and handshakes between the former enemies.

In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg by dedicating the Eternal Light Peace Memorial.

In 1944, during World War II, Soviet forces recaptured Minsk from the Germans.

In 1950, the first carrier strikes of the Korean War took place as the USS Valley Forge and the HMS Triumph sent fighter planes against North Korean targets.

In 1962, French President Charles de Gaulle signed an agreement recognizing Algeria as an independent state after 132 years of French rule.

In 1971, singer Jim Morrison of The Doors died in Paris at age 27.

In 1985, the time-travel comedy "Back to the Future," starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, was released by Universal Pictures.

In 1988, the USS Vincennes shot down an Iran Air jetliner over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people aboard.

In 1996, Russians went to the polls to re-elect Boris Yeltsin president over his Communist challenger, Gennady Zyuganov, in a runoff.

Ten years ago: A NASA space probe, Deep Impact, hit its comet target as planned in a mission to learn how the solar system formed. Saudi security forces killed Moroccan Younis Mohammed Ibrahim al-Hayari, the al-Qaida terrorist group's leader in the country, during a gun battle in Riyadh. Roger Federer won his third consecutive Wimbledon title by beating Andy Roddick 6-2, 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama announced the awarding of nearly $2 billion for new solar plants that he said would create thousands of jobs. Vice President Joe Biden returned to Iraq to coax its government into picking a new prime minister. Mohammed Oudeh, 73, the key planner of the 1972 Munich Olympics attack that killed 11 Israeli athletes, died in Damascus. Serena Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam championship by sweeping Vera Zvonareva in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, in the women's final.

One year ago: Hurricane Arthur struck North Carolina as a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 mph in the late evening, taking about five hours to move across the far eastern part of the state, but causing far less damage than feared.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Tim O'Connor is 88. Jazz musician Pete Fountain is 85. Playwright Tom Stoppard is 78. Writer-producer Jay Tarses is 76. Actor Michael Cole (TV: "The Mod Squad") is 75. Attorney Gloria Allred is 74. Folk singer Judith Durham (The Seekers) is 72. Actor Kurtwood Smith is 72. Country singer Johnny Lee is 69. Humorist Dave Barry is 68. Actress Betty Buckley is 68. Rock singer-musician Paul Barrere (Little Feat) is 67. Actress Jan Smithers is 66. Actor Bruce Altman is 60. Talk show host Montel Williams is 59. Country singer Aaron Tippin is 57. Rock musician Vince Clarke (Erasure) is 55. Actor Tom Cruise is 53. Actor Thomas Gibson is 53. Actress Hunter Tylo is 53. Actress Connie Nielsen is 51. Actress Yeardley Smith is 51. Singer Ishmael Butler is 46. Rock musician Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies) is 46. Actress-singer Shawnee Smith is 46. Actress-singer Audra McDonald is 45. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is 44. Actor Patrick Wilson is 42. Country singer Trent Tomlinson is 40. Actress Andrea Barber is 39. Singer Shane Lynch (Boyzone) is 39. Actor Ian Anthony Dale is 37. Actress Elizabeth Hendrickson is 36. Rhythm-and-blues singer Tonia Tash (Divine) is 36. Country singer-songwriter Sarah Buxton is 35. Actress Olivia Munn is 35. Actress Shoshannah Stern is 35. Actor Grant Rosenmeyer is 24. Actress Kelsey Batelaan is 20.

Thought for Today: "I suppose it can be truthfully said that Hope is the only universal liar who never loses his reputation for veracity." -- Robert G. Ingersoll, American lawyer, politician (1833-1899).

Copyright 2015, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.