▁H esse ▁and ▁by ▁Rh ine . ▁ ▁U . S . ▁President ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁signs ▁into ▁law ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ▁Act s , ▁author izing ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Trans cont inental ▁Rail road . ▁ ▁The ▁Russian ▁State ▁Library ▁is ▁founded , ▁as ▁The ▁Library ▁of ▁the ▁Moscow ▁Public ▁Museum . ▁ ▁July ▁ 2 ▁– ▁U . S . ▁President ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁signs ▁the ▁Mor r ill ▁Land - Gr ant ▁Act ▁into ▁law , ▁creating ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁land - gr ant ▁colleg es , ▁to ▁teach ▁agricult ural ▁and ▁mechanical ▁sciences ▁across ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁July ▁ 4 ▁– ▁Charles ▁D od g son ▁( bet ter ▁known ▁as ▁Lewis ▁Car roll ) ▁ext empor ises ▁the ▁story ▁that ▁becomes ▁Alice ' s ▁Advent ures ▁in ▁Wonder land , ▁for ▁ten - year - old ▁Alice ▁L idd ell ▁and ▁her ▁sister s , ▁on ▁a ▁row bo at ▁trip ▁on ▁The ▁Is is ▁from ▁Oxford ▁to ▁God st ow . ▁▁ ▁July ▁ 1 6 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁David ▁G . ▁Far rag ut ▁becomes ▁the ▁first ▁rear ▁adm iral ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy . ▁ ▁July ▁ 1 8 ▁– ▁D ent ▁Bl anche , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁highest ▁summ its ▁in ▁the ▁Al ps , ▁is ▁first ▁asc ended . ▁ ▁July ▁ 2 3 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁Henry ▁W . ▁Halle ck ▁takes ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁Army . ▁ ▁August ▁ 5 ▁–