1. In 1865, the Washington National Cemetery was established on July 14 by an act of Congress. The cemetery was created to honor the sacrifices of American soldiers who died while serving their country.

2. On July 14, 1900, President William McKinley signed a bill authorizing the construction of the Library of Congress building. The building, which would become known as the Thomas Jefferson Building, was completed in 1897 and is a stunning example of neoclassical architecture.

3. On July 14, 1912, the first public demonstration of the parachute was held at the Army's Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. Captain Albert Berry jumped from a plane at 1,500 feet and successfully landed using his parachute.

4. In 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. FDR would go on to win the election and become one of the most influential presidents in American history.

5. On July 14, 1969, the Smithsonian Institution received a donation of the Apollo 11 space capsule from NASA. The capsule, which carried astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon, is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.