Hi, Sen here. Welcome to another episode of Today in History.

Fights for independence and for gay rights, as well as the creation of Turkey. All coming up in today’s episode.

You’re going to hear three historical events from this day in the past. Try listening to them twice through. On this first listen, just try and tune your ear to the way the English is spoken and how it sounds.

Are you ready? Then let’s begin. Here’s what happened today in history.

July 24, 1783 marks the birth of Venezuelan military and political leader Simón Bolívar. At the start of the 19th century, he was crucial in gaining the independence of what is now Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Bolivia from Spanish rule. Bolivia was even named after Bolivar, and, along with Venezuela, celebrates today as a public holiday.

On the same day in 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne, the last treaty of World War I, was signed in Switzerland. It replaced the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres and drew up the boundaries of modern day Turkey following the break-up of the Ottoman Empire.

On July 24, 1969, the Gay Liberation Front, a radical leftist group addressing not only gay rights, but also other left-wing causes, was formed in New York City. Its foundation coincided with an explosion of gay movement organization, pride and political activism following the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. Over the next few years, dozens of local Gay Liberation Front chapters formed across the U.S. and further abroad. Although the organization had folded by the 1980s, it paved the way for the modern fight for LGBTQIA+ rights.

Now rewind, and see how much of the episode’s meaning you can really understand. Remember, you can listen as many times as you like! You’ll probably notice that you understand new things each time!

For now though, that’s all. Be sure to join me again tomorrow for another episode of Today in History.