July 26 Through History

Explanation: The attack on the Cuartel Moncada, on July 26, 1953, was a military failure but marked the beginning of the Cuban revolution. Fidel Castro was captured, tried, then released in 1955. The date of July 26 became so symbolic that it gave its name to the revolutionary movement: the 26th of July Movement.

Explanation: The nationalization of the Suez Canal triggered the Suez Crisis, also known as the Suez War or Operation Musketeer. France, the United Kingdom, and Israel intervened militarily in October 1956, but had to withdraw under pressure from the United States and the USSR. This episode marked the decline of European colonial empires.

Explanation: Zamenhof, an ophthalmologist of Polish origin, published his work under the pseudonym "Doktoro Esperanto" (Doctor who hopes), which gave the language its name. Esperanto is today the most widely spoken constructed language in the world, with between 1 and 2 million speakers, of whom around 2,000 acquired it as their mother tongue.

Explanation: Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress, a position he had already held under British authority. This postal service, one of the oldest in the American federal government, is guaranteed by the 1787 U.S. Constitution and remains one of the largest employers in the United States today.

Explanation: Jung was first Sigmund Freud's closest disciple before breaking with him around 1912. He developed an approach called analytical psychology, introducing concepts such as the collective unconscious, archetypes, and psychological types (introversion/extraversion). These ideas profoundly influenced psychology, philosophy, and even literature.

Explanation: The Bureau of Investigation was founded by Charles Joseph Bonaparte, grandnephew of Napoleon I and then Attorney General of the United States. It took the name Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1935. Its most famous director, J. Edgar Hoover, led the agency for 48 years, from 1924 to 1972.

Explanation: The Rolling Stones, founded in 1962 in London, are one of the most influential bands in the history of rock. Rivaling the Beatles in the 1960s, they produced classics like 'Satisfaction', 'Paint It Black' and 'Sympathy for the Devil'. The band is still active, making them one of the oldest in the history of popular music.

Explanation: The meeting in Guayaquil between San Martín and Bolívar remains one of the most mysterious in Latin American history, as no official record of it was ever made. Following this secret meeting, San Martín permanently withdrew from political and military life, leaving Bolívar to complete the liberation of the continent. San Martín then went into exile in Europe.

Explanation: Apollo 15 was the 4th mission to successfully land on the Moon and the first J-type mission, designed for in-depth scientific exploration. David Scott and James Irwin used the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) for the first time, a kind of electric lunar car, which allowed them to cover 27 km on the surface of the Moon. The mission lasted 12 days in total.

Explanation: Liberia was founded by the American Colonization Society starting in 1822 as a territory to welcome freed African slaves from the United States. The name 'Liberia' comes from the Latin 'liber', meaning 'free'. Its capital, Monrovia, was named in honor of American president James Monroe. This unique origin explains why the Liberian constitution and many of its institutions drew inspiration from the American model.