01 January Topics

January 1: Julian Calendar – In 45 BC, a new calendar went into effect.
The Times Are a’Changin’ – In 1788, The Times of London was first published.
The Granddaddy of them All – In 1890, the first Tournament of Roses parade was held.
Homestead Act – In 1863, the first claim under the Homestead Act was made.
Ceres Found – In 1801, the first asteroid was located.
A World’s First in Flight – In 1914, the world’s first scheduled airline service took off.
1902 – The first Rose Bowl game was played.

January 2: Liquor Through the Ages – In 1934, Pennsylvania opened the first state run liquor store.
Big Bottom – In 1791, the Big Bottom massacre took place.
The Planet Vulcan – In 1860, a new planet’s discovery was announced in Paris.
Espionage – In 1943, the Duquense Spy Ring was sentenced.
Battle of the Assunpink Creek – In 1777, the battle was found and won by George Washington’s troops.
ICE is Cool – In 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers was formed.
1959 – Luna 1 was launched.

January 3: Tokugawa Shogunate – In 1863, the Tokugawa shogunate ended.
British Empire – In 1833, the Falkland Islands came under British rule.
Slurrrppp! – In 1888, the straw was patented.
Eiffel Tower – In 1956, a fire damaged the top floors of the Eiffel Tower.
The Maid of Orleans – In 1431, Joan of Arc was handed over to Pierre Cauchon.
Granting Vermont – In 1849, the first New Hampshire Grant was made.
1911 – The Siege of Sidney Street took place.

January 4: Cornelius Vanderbilt – In 1877, the business magnate died.
Not the British Empire Yet – In 871, the Battle of Reading was fought.
Top Ten – In 1936, Billboard magazine published its first hit parade.
Ice Storm – In 1998, an ice storm hit southeastern Canada.
Really Tall – In 2012, Burj Khalifa officially opened.
Remote – In 1854, HIMI was discovered by William McDonald.
1847 – Captain Walker placed an order for Sam Colt’s guns.

January 5: Ford Motor Company Wages – In 1914, wages were more than doubled for Ford Motor Company workers.
Louis XV Lives – In 1757, a failed attempt was made on King Louis XV’s life.
Getting What You Give – In 1993, Westley Allen Dodd was executed for his murder of three children.
Prague Spring – In 1968, Alexander Dubček came to power in Czechoslovakia.
YGG – In 1925, Nellie Ross stepped into the role of Governor of Wyoming.
Drowning One’s Troubles – In 1527, Felix Manz was executed.
1895 – X-rays were announced.

January 6: Can You Hear Me Now? – In 1838, Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail got their new telegraph system working.
National Cathedral – In 1893, the charter for the Washington National Cathedral was signed.
Speed Typing – In 1714, a patent was granted for an early typewriter.
Montessori Schools – In 1907, Marie Montessori opened her first school.
Freedom x 4 – In 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his “Four Freedoms” speech.
Drifting Apart – In 1912, Alfred Wegener presented a paper on Continental Drift.
1540 – Anne of Cleves and King Henry VIII marry.

January 7: Zeus’s Lovers – In 1610, the four Galilean moons were discovered.
CQD – What? – In 1904, a new distress signal was called for.
Around the world in more than 80 days – In 1887, Thomas Stevens completed his trip around the world on a bike.
Fire! – In 1950, the Mercy Hospital in Davenport, Iowa caught fire.
Up on the Roof – In 1973, Mark Essex’s killing spree comes to an end.
What Did You Say? – In 1954, computer translation was first demonstrated.
1948 – Strange lights are seen in the Kentucky skies.

January 8: Genius Personified – In 1942, Stephen Hawking was born.
War on Poverty – In 1964, President Johnson declared war on poverty.
Teeny Tiny – In 1297, the Principality of Monaco gained its independence.
Zero Debt – In 1835, the US government was debt free, but just for a short time.
Defending Home and Hearth – In 1877, Crazy Horse fought his last battle.
Grimaldi Family and Monaco – In 1297, the royal line was introduced into Monaco.
1697 – Thomas Aikenhead was executed.

January 9: Advertising – In 1984, Clara Peller made her television debut.
Going to the Dogs – In 1929, The Seeing Eye was established.
Northern Aggression? – In 1861, Star of the West, was fired upon by Southerners.
Giant – In 1881, Edouard Beaupré was born.
Egypt be Dammed – In 1960, construction on the Aswan Dam began.
Fear and Loathing – In 1349, Jews were massacred in Basel, Switzerland.
1858 – Anson Jones killed himself.

January 10: No. 5 – In 1971, Coco Chanel died.
Point of No Return – In 49 BC, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon.
The Tube – In 1863, London’s Metropolitan Underground Railroad opened for business.
Uncommon Sense – In 1776, a pamphlet was published anonymously.
Dedication to a Cause – In 1645, William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, was beheaded.
Spindletop Comes In – In 1901, the gusher began spewing oil.
1985 – The C5 vehicle was introduced by Clive Sinclair.

January 11: You Betcha – In 1569, the first state sponsored lottery was held at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Kingsland – In 1917, an explosion at a munitions factory took place.
US Marshals – In 1794, the first US Marshal was killed in the line of duty.
Insulin – In 1922, a new treatment for diabetes was first used.
Commuted – In 2003, Illinois governor commuted 167 death row prisoners’ sentences to life without parole.
Titania and Oberon – In 1787, two new moons were found.
1912 – Pay cuts came to Lawrence, Massachusetts.

January 12: Reach for the Stars – In 1866, the Royal Aeronautical Society was formed.
Pow! Bop! – In 1966, Batman premiered on ABC Television.
Presentation is Everything – In 1943, The Office of Price Administration in the US issued an edict renaming food items.
The Big Sleep – In 1967, James Bedford died and was cryogenically preserved.
Amos ‘n’ Andy Precursor – In 1926, Sam ‘n’ Henry premiered.
Charleston Museum – In 1773, the South Carolina museum was founded.
1808 – St. Mary’s Church, Reculver was doomed.

January 13: Sitting on the Throne – In 1863, Thomas Crapper pioneered his pedestal toilet.
Only One – In 1842, the lone survivor arrived at the Jalalabad garrison.
Greece – In 1822, the First National Assembly of Epidaurus adopted a new Greek flag.
Prison Blues – In 1968, Johnny Cash performed at Folsom Prison.
Black Friday in Australia – In 1939, a bushfire started in Victoria, Australia.
AM or FM – In 1910, the first public radio broadcast took place.
532 – The Nika riots began.

January 14: Dr. Albert Schweitzer – In 1875, Dr. Schweitzer was born.
Where Are They Now? – In 1129, the Knights Templar were given Papal approval.
Human Be-In – In 1967, thousands met in protest at Golden Gate Park.
Today – In 1952, The Today Show premiered.
Denmark’s New Queen – In 1972, Queen Margrethe II began her reign.
Casablanca Conference – In 1943, world leaders met in Casablanca.
1973 – Elvis put on the Aloha in Hawaii concert.

January 15: The British Museum – In 1759, the British Museum opened to the public.
Snowflake Bentley – In 1885, William Bentley first photographed a snowflake.
Donkeys and Elephants – In 1870, “A Live Jackass Kicking a Dead Lion” by Thomas Nast was published.
Wikipedia – In 2001, a new website began.
Super Bowl I – In 1967, the first Super Bowl was played.
Local Paper – In 1876, the first Afrikaans paper went into print.
1919 – The Great Molasses Flood took place.

January 16: Prohibition – In 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment was ratified.
Hi – In 1964, Hello, Dolly! took Broadway by storm.
Grote Mandrenke – In 1362, a storm tide in the North Sea flood the German city, Rungholt.
Hablo Espanol  – In 1492, a dictionary was first written.
League of Nations – In 1920, the League of Nations held its first council meeting.
Formidable Ruler – In 1547, Ivan the Terrible came into power.
1862 – The Hartley Colliery disaster took place.

January 17: Heading for the Hills in Minnesota – In 1950, the Great Brinks Robbery took place.
Strong to the Finnich – In 1929, Elzie Crisler Segar’s Popeye first appeared in a comic strip.
Fore – In 1916, the US Professional Golfers’ Association [PGA] was formed.
Our Loss – In 1945, Raoul Wallenberg was arrested.
Bombing Spain – In 1966, the US dropped nuclear missiles on Palomares, Spain.
Maltese Father – In 1799, Father Xerri was executed.
1852 – The Sand River Convention was signed by the UK.

January 18: Rudyard Kipling – In 1936, Rudyard Kipling died.
Botany Bay – In 1788, HMS Supply reached Botany Bay.
Daredevil Success – In 1911, the first plane was landed on a ship at sea.
Dr. William Price – In 1884, Price attempted to cremate his deceased infant son.
The Lap of Luxury – In 1919, Bentley Motors Limited was founded.
Second Reich – In 1871, William I became Germany’s first emperor.
1915 – The 21 Demands were issued by Japan.

January 19: Electrifying – In 1883, Roselle, New Jersey became the first electrified community.
LISA – In 1983, Apple introduced a new computer.
Not Commando – In 1935, Marshall Field and Company first sold Samuel T. Cooper’s new product – the Jockey brief.
Liquid Fire – In 1915, a patent was granted for a neon lamp.
Dissatisfied Citizen – In 1661, Thomas Venner was executed in the fashion of the time.
We All Love Lucy – In 1953, Lucy Ricardo had Little Ricky.
1607 – The San Agustin Church was officially “built”.

January 20: Eeeeeeeeek – In 1885, LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented his roller coaster structure.
Game of the Century – In 1968, the UCLA Bruins met the Houston Cougars for a game of basketball.
Pearl Harbor – In 1887, the US Senate approved the Navy’s leasing Pearl Harbor.
Hail to the Chief – In 1937, FDR took his second oath of office as POTUS.
Taken Hostage – In 1987, Terry Waite was taken hostage.
Cisco Kid Hits the Silver Screen – In 1929, In Old Arizona was released.
250 – Decius issued an edict concerning Roman religion.

January 21: The Evil Weed – In 1908, the Sullivan Ordinance, an early smoking ban, was passed and vetoed.
I Feel … The Need … For Speed – In 1976, the Concorde SST began service.
Miss Sam – In 1960, Little Joe 1B launched successfully and returned to Earth.
No Babies – In 1525, a baptismal ceremony was held in Switzerland.
The Power of Sympathy – In 1789, the book by this title was published.
Serving the Children – In 1915, Kiwanis was formed.
1861 – Jefferson Davis resigned his seat in the US Senate.

January 22: Roe v. Wade – In 1973, the Supreme Court decided on the abortion issue, assuring all women a right to privacy.
Bloody Sunday – In 1905, a Russian uprising took place in St. Petersburg.
Pontifical Swiss Guards – In 1506, the first of the Swiss Guards come to protect the Pope.
Football – In 1927, an association football match was broadcast over the radio.
United Mine Workers – In 1890, the union was founded.
Trains Need Brakes – In 1915, the Guadalajara train disaster took place.
1877 – Arthur Tooth was brought into custody.

January 23: Shaanxi Earthquake – In 1556, the deadliest earthquake on record strikes central China.
More Than Vases – In 1368, the Ming Dynasty came to power in China.
Greenbriar Ghost – In 1897, Elva Zona Heaster was murdered but did not leave this mortal coil.
Poppies – In 1912, the International Opium Convention was signed.
Cowboys and Indians – In 1870, the Baker Massacre took place.
Taken at Sea – In 1961, a Portuguese cruise ship was hijacked.
1795 – The cavalry defeated the navy.

January 24: Badminton – In 1900, the Newcastle Badminton Club opened, the oldest such club in England.
Be Prepared – In 1907, the Boy Scouts were begun by Robert Baden-Powell.
“Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River” – In 1848, James W. Marshall spied gold in the American River, sparking the  California Gold Rush.
Never Surrender –  In 1972, Shōichi Yokoi was found.
Little Boot is Booted Out – In 41, Caligula was assassinated.
Near Disaster – In 1961, America dropped a nuclear bomb on North Carolina.
1916 – Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad Co. was decided.

January 25: Moscow University – In 1755, Moscow University was established.
Rebellion – In 1787, Shays’s Rebellion attacked an arsenal.
First Winter Olympics – In 1924, International Winter Sports Week opened in Chamonix, France.
Payola – In 1960, punishments for those involved in the payola scandal were issued.
Tragedy Strikes – In 2005, hundreds were killed at a stampede near a holy shrine in India.
The Guiding Light – In 1937, the soap opera premiered.
1964 – Nike was founded.

January 26: The Hills Are Alive – In 1905, Maria von Trapp was born.
Phantom – In 1988, The Phantom of the Opera opened in New York City.
Bald Eagle or Wild Turkey? – In 1784, Benjamin Franklin debated using the eagle as engraved on the national seal.
Brilliant – In 1905, the Cullinan Diamond was found.
Missing Children – In 1966, three Beaumont children went missing, never to be seen again.
Live, at the Apollo – In 1934, the theater opened.
1891 – Frank Costello was born.

January 27: Globetrotters – In 1927, the Harlem Globetrotters played their first game.
Guy Fawkes’s Trial – In 1606, Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators were brought to trial.
Apollo I Fire – In 1967, during a test flight the capsule of Apollo 1 burned, killing three.
It’s All Greek – In 1870, Kappa Alpha Theta was formed.
Young Liberals of Norway – In 1909, the political party formed.
All Hands Lost – In 1961, a Soviet submarine sunk.
1945 – Auschwitz was liberated.

January 28: Beautiful Snow – In 1887, the largest snowflake on record was found.
Serendipitous Find – In 1754, Horace Walpole coined a new word.
Lighting the Night – In 1807, the first street was lit by gas light.
Challenged – In 1986, the Challenger exploded.
Yale Daily News – In 1878, the newspaper first saw print.
Your License and Registration, Please – In 1896, the first speeding ticket was issued.
1958 – Lego was patented.

January 29: Oh, No – O-Three – In 1978, Sweden became the first nation to ban certain aerosols to protect the ozone layer.
Honorable – In 1856, the Victoria Cross medal was established.
“Nevermore!” – In 1845, The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe was printed for the first time.
Nevermore – In 1845, the poem was published (a different look at the event).
Like a Phoenix – In 1996, La Fenice was destroyed by fire.
Far Out, Man – In 1967, the Mantra Rock Dance was held.
1861 – Kansas became a state.

January 30: “Look that up in your Funk and Wagnall’s” – In 1922, Dick Martin was born.
King Richard III – In 1835, an attempt was made to assassinate President Jackson.
Assassination attempt – In 1835, the first US Presidential assassination attempt takes place.
Mr. Music – In 1858, the Halle Orchestra performed.
Really, Really Dead – In 1661, Oliver Cromwell’s body was exhumed in order to be executed.
Bristol Channel Flood – In 1607, the southwestern British channel flooded.
1933 – Machtergreifung began.

January 31: Sticking to Business – In 1930, 3M marketed Scotch tape.
Radiation Trap – In 1958, James Van Allen was given the means to describe the eponymous bands.
Love Bug – In 747, The London Lock Hospital opened as the first venereal disease clinic.
The Only One – In 1945, Eddie Slovik was executed.
Battle of May Island – In 1918, tragedy at sea struck.
Battle at Bolimow – In 1915, poison gas was first used in warfare.
1846 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin was incorporated.