Back to the Future is released, sliced bread is invented and more good news in history in the week of July 3 to 9

July 3

Back to the Future is released in 1985

The iconic movie Back to the Future was first released on July 3 1985. The movie, which followed Michael J Fox was Marty McFly as he famously went back in time in a Delorean to 1950, was released in American theaters this week 38 years ago. The movie quickly became a cult classic, and spun off two sequels, a cartoon series, and more.

July 4

Independence Day in the USA in 1776

We couldn’t really write about anything else on July 4th. On this day in 1776 American colonies declared independence from Great Britain. The Founding Father delegates of the Second Continental Congress declared that the 13 states were no longer subject to the monarch of Britain, and that each were united and independent states.

The oldest celebration of Independence Day is the Bristol Fourth of July Parade in Rhode Island, which has been held since 1785!

July 5

Algeria declares independence from France in 1962

Only one day on from Independence Day in America, Algeria declared its independence from France in 1962. In 1959 Charles de Gaulle declared that the Algerians had the right to determine their own future and just three years later this was enshrined into law.

July 6

Paul McCartney and John Lennon meet in 1957

Paul McCartney and John Lennon met for the first time on July 6 at church event, where John Lennon was performing in 1957. And the rest, as they say, is history. The band remains the best-selling act of all time to this day.

July 7

Pre-sliced bread first goes on sale in 1928

It’s hard to think of a time before sliced bread, yet, pre-sliced bread did not go on sale until 1928, in Chillicothe, Missouri. By 1933 80% of bread sold in the USA was already sliced. We can also thank sliced bread for the idiom ‘the best thing since sliced bread’, which is used to praise a new innovation.

July 8

Tom Hanks is born in 1956

Happy Birthday to Tom Hanks, who turns 67 today! The iconic actor has starred in over 50 movies, including Big, Forest Gump, and Philadelphia. In total his movies have grossed over $9 billion worldwide. However, Hanks recently revealed that out of all of those movies he’s only ever made ‘four pretty good’ ones. Whilst we can think of more than four good movies by Hanks, he has been nominated for six Oscars, winning twice.