Moments in Time

* On July 24, 1567, during her imprisonment in Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots is forced to abdicate in favor of her 1-year-old son, later crowned King James VI of Scotland. Twenty-five years earlier, while just six days old, Mary ascended to the Scottish throne upon the death of her father, King James V.

* On July 25, 1832, the first recorded railroad accident in U.S. history occurs when a cable securing boulders snaps, throwing four people over a cliff on the Granite Railway in Massachusetts.

* On July 26, 1931, a swarm of grasshoppers descends on crops throughout the American heartland, devastating millions of acres. The swarm was said to be so thick that it blocked out the sun and one could shovel the grasshoppers with a scoop.

* On July 28, 1945, the U.S. Senate approves the charter establishing the United Nations by a vote of 89 to 2. The Senate didn’t formally approved U.S. participation in the United Nations until December 1945.

* On July 29, 1967, a fire on the U.S. Navy carrier Forrestal stationed off the coast of Vietnam kills 134 service members. The deadly fire began with the accidental launch of a rocket from one of its own F-4 Phantom jet fighters. The resulting fire then detonated a 1,000-pound bomb.

* On July 30, 1976, American Bruce Jenner sets a world record in winning the decathlon at the Montreal Olympics. After his win, Jenner enjoyed the unofficial title of “world’s greatest athlete.”

* On July 27, 1990, the last Citroen 2CV rolls off the production line in Portugal. Since its debut in 1948, a total of 5,114,959 2CVs had been produced. The 2CV (“Deux Chevaux Vapeur” in French, or “two steam horses”) is a reference to France’s policy of taxing cars based on their engine output.

(c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.