Today is the 185th day of 2014 and the 14th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

In 1826, founding fathers John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In 1960, the modern version of the American flag (with 50 stars) debuted at a ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1997, NASA's Pathfinder space probe landed on Mars.

In 2012, the discovery of Higgs boson-like particles through experiments at the Large Hadron Collider was announced at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: George Everest (1790-1866), surveyor/geographer; Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), writer; Stephen Foster (1826-1864), songwriter; Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), 30th U.S. president; Leona Helmsley (1920-2007), real estate developer; Eva Marie Saint (1924- ), actress; Neil Simon (1927- ), playwright; Al Davis (1929-2011), Oakland Raiders owner; George Steinbrenner (1930-2010), New York Yankees owner; Geraldo Rivera (1943- ), TV personality.

TODAY'S FACT: Renowned advice columnists Eppie Lederer and Pauline Phillips, known as Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren ("Dear Abby") respectively, were twin sisters, born on this day in 1918.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1939, New York Yankee slugger Lou Gehrig, who was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, announced his retirement at Yankee Stadium. Gehrig delivered the famous line, "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth."

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Words -- so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them." -- Nathaniel Hawthorne

TODAY'S NUMBER: 1,000 -- approximate number of American Sign Language signs in the working vocabulary of Koko, a female lowland gorilla born on this day in 1971.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (June 27) and first quarter moon (July 5).

Today is the 184th day of 2014 and the 13th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1775, George Washington assumed command of the Continental Army.

In 1844, the last two confirmed great auk specimens were killed on the island of Eldey, off the coast of Iceland.

In 1863, an assault by Gen. Robert E. Lee's Confederate forces failed and the Battle of Gettysburg ended in a Union victory.

In 1890, Idaho was admitted as the 43rd U.S. state.

In 1998, Bill Clinton completed the first presidential visit to China since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: George M. Cohan (1878-1942), songwriter/entertainer; Franz Kafka (1883-1924), author; Dave Barry (1947- ), author/journalist; Montel Williams (1956- ), TV personality; Tom Cruise (1962- ), actor; Brian Cashman (1967- ), baseball executive; Teemu Selanne (1970- ), hockey player; Patrick Wilson (1973- ), actor; Olivia Munn (1980- ), actress.

TODAY'S FACT: Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones and The Doors frontman Jim Morrison died on this day in 1969 and 1971, respectively.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1974, Mike Marshall of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched in relief of starter Tommy John, setting a major league record for consecutive games pitched in, at 13.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Many a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one's own self." -- Franz Kafka

TODAY'S NUMBER: 20 -- films starring Tom Cruise that have grossed more than $200 million worldwide, including his 2014 film, "Edge of Tomorrow."

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (June 27) and first quarter moon (July 5).

Today is the 183rd day of 2014 and the 12th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1777, Vermont became the first American territory to abolish slavery.

In 1839, 53 African slaves took over the slave ship Amistad.

In 1881, lawyer Charles Guiteau shot President James Garfield, who died from his wounds ten weeks later.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing major forms of discrimination.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Hermann Hesse (1877-1962), author; Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993), Supreme Court justice; Pierre Cardin (1922- ), fashion designer; Medgar Evers (1925-1963), civil rights activist; Dave Thomas (1932-2002), Wendy's fast-food chain founder; Richard Petty (1937- ), NASCAR driver; Larry David (1947- ), writer/actor; Jose Canseco (1964- ), baseball player; Johnny Weir (1984- ), figure skater; Lindsay Lohan (1986- ), actress.

TODAY'S FACT: The first zeppelin airship, which made its debut flight over Lake Constance, Germany, on this day in 1900, was 420 feet long and powered by a 16-horsepower engine.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 2002, Steve Fossett completed the first nonstop solo hot air balloon flight around the world.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Words do not express thoughts very well. They always become a little different immediately after they are expressed, a little distorted, a little foolish." -- Hermann Hesse

TODAY'S NUMBER: 11,003 -- Wal-Mart stores (including Walmart U.S., Sam's Club and Walmart International) worldwide, as of May 2014. The first Wal-Mart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas, on this day in 1962.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (June 27) and first quarter moon (July 5).