On this day: July 19

U.S. Conducts Early Hydrogen-Bomb Technology Test, July 1951

On July 19, 1951, the United States conducted an atmospheric test related to thermonuclear (hydrogen-bomb) technology as part of ongoing nuclear weapons experiments during the early Cold War; details and classification of such tests evolved as designs progressed through the 1950s.

July 19, 1848: News of California gold sends thousands westward

On July 19, 1848, reports of gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California began to spread widely, triggering a mass movement of prospectors, settlers, and entrepreneurs toward the West that reshaped the United States.