In History, Today on July 2

Martin Luther, caught in a thunderstorm, vows to become a monk if he survives, a pivotal moment leading to the Protestant Reformation.

The Battle of Marston Moor took place during the English Civil War, resulting in a decisive victory for the Parliamentarians.

The Continental Congress votes in favor of independence from Great Britain, leading to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence two days later.

Twenty miles off the coast of Cuba, 53 rebelling African slaves led by Joseph Cinqué take over the Spanish ship Amistad.

U.S. President James A. Garfield is shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C.

Aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappear over the Pacific Ocean during an attempt to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe.

The first Wal-Mart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas, marking the beginning of what would become the world's largest retail corporation.

U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

North and South Vietnam, divided since 1954, reunite to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The world's first self-contained artificial heart, the AbioCor, was implanted in a patient at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.

Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon, landing in Queensland, Australia.

Live 8 concerts were held in various cities around the world to raise awareness of poverty in Africa and pressure G8 leaders to take action.

Colombian military forces rescued 15 hostages, including Ingrid Betancourt, from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Operation Jaque.

The United Nations General Assembly voted to create UN Women, an entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected President of Mexico, marking a significant political shift in the country.

A total solar eclipse was visible across parts of the South Pacific, Chile, and Argentina.