On This Day in History – July 28

by hpmom July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

1540 – Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to Henry VIII, was executed in London.
1794 – Maximilien Robespierre, a leading figure in the French Revolution, was executed by guillotine in Paris.
1821 – Peru declared independence from Spain during a rebellion led by José de San Martín.
1868 – The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was certified, granting citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the U.S.
1914 – Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, beginning the First World War.
1932 – U.S. troops forcibly dispersed the Bonus Army, a group of WWI veterans protesting in Washington, D.C.
1976 – A devastating earthquake struck Tangshan, China, killing an estimated 242,000 people.

Beatrix Potter (1866–1943), English author and illustrator, best known for The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–1994), First Lady of the United States and cultural icon
Jim Davis (born 1945), American cartoonist, creator of Garfield
Sally Struthers (born 1947), American actress and activist
Hugo Chávez (1954–2013), Venezuelan president and political leader
Elizabeth Berkley (born 1972), American actress known for Saved by the Bell

Maximilien Robespierre (d. 1794), French revolutionary (b. 1758)
Thomas Cromwell (d. 1540), English statesman and chief minister to Henry VIII (b. c. 1485)
Francis Crick (d. 2004), British scientist and co-discoverer of the DNA structure (b. 1916)
Antonio Vivaldi (d. 1741), Italian Baroque composer (b. 1678)

Independence Day (Peru) – Celebrates Peru’s independence from Spanish colonial rule in 1821
World Hepatitis Day – Recognized globally to raise awareness of hepatitis and promote testing and prevention

The Garfield comic strip, created by Jim Davis who was born on this day, has been translated into over 40 languages.
The 1976 Tangshan earthquake is one of the deadliest in recorded history.
July 28 marks the beginning of World War I — a war that would involve more than 30 countries and change the world forever.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis remains one of the most admired First Ladies in U.S. history, known for her poise and style.
Peru celebrates its independence with a two-day national holiday beginning on July 28.