Today is the 247th day of 2012 and the 76th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1783, the signing of the Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War.

In 1838, abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in Baltimore.

In 1976, the unmanned Viking II landed on the surface of Mars to take the first close-up color photos of the planet's surface.

In 2008, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, newly announced as Sen. John McCain's presidential running mate and the first Republican woman nominated for the vice presidency, spoke before delegates at the Republican National Convention.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Louis Sullivan (1856-1924), architect; Kitty Carlisle (1910-2007), actress; Anne Jackson (1926- ), actress; Eileen Brennan (1932- ), actress; Charlie Sheen (1965- ), actor; Shaun White (1986- ), snowboarder/skateboarder.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1970, legendary football coach Vince Lombardi died at age 57.

TODAY'S FACT: The Viking photographs of Mars suggested that large amounts of water were once present on Mars, but the mission's chief aim -- to determine if life existed on the planet -- was not achieved.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall." -- Vince Lombardi

TODAY'S NUMBER: 12 -- record number of Winter X Games gold medals claimed by Shaun White from 2003 to 2012.

TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (Aug. 31) and last quarter (Sept. 8).

Today is the 246th day of 2012 and the 75th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt made his "speak softly and carry a big stick" speech on American foreign policy.

In 1963, Alabama Gov. George Wallace prevented the integration of Tuskegee High School by stationing state troopers around the building.

In 1991, the United States officially recognized the independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Nathaniel "Tiny" Archibald (1948- ), basketball player; Terry Bradshaw (1948- ), sportscaster/football player; Christa McAuliffe (1948-1986), teacher/astronaut; Mark Harmon (1951- ), actor; Jimmy Connors (1952- ), tennis player; Keanu Reeves (1964- ), actor; Salma Hayek (1966- ), actress.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1960, Wilma Rudolph ran the 100-meter dash in 11 seconds to claim the gold at the Rome Olympics. She was awarded the world record for her sprint, only to have it revoked because wind speeds were higher than allowed.

TODAY'S FACT: Although Theodore Roosevelt is often credited with coining "Speak softly and carry a big stick," he attributed the phrase to a West African proverb.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in." -- Theodore Roosevelt

TODAY'S NUMBER: 10.49 seconds -- current women's world-record time in the 100-meter dash, held by Florence Griffith-Joyner since 1988.

TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (Aug. 31) and last quarter (Sept. 8).

Today is the 245th day of 2012 and the 74th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1897, the first section of Boston's subway system -- the first underground public transportation in the U.S. -- opened.

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of World War II.

In 2004, Chechen militants took more than 1,100 people hostage at a school in Beslan, Russia.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950), author/journalist; Rocky Marciano (1923-1969), boxer; Conway Twitty (1933-1993), singer; Lily Tomlin (1939- ), actress/comedian; Barry Gibb (1946- ), singer/songwriter; Phil McGraw (1950- ), TV personality; Gloria Estefan (1957- ), singer; Clinton Portis (1981- ), football player.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1972, Bobby Fischer won the World Chess Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland.

TODAY'S FACT: Of all the countries involved in World War II, Poland is believed to have lost the highest percentage of its citizens to war-related fatalities, at about 20 percent.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "All sides in a trial want to hide at least some of the truth." -- Alan Dershowitz

TODAY'S NUMBER: 900 -- unmarked graves unearthed by workers building the first section of the Boston subway system in the late 19th century.

TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (Aug. 31) and last quarter (Sept. 8).