January 1 – On This Day In History

1 January

Today is New Year’s day – the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar.

What happened today in history?

  • 1772 – The world’s first traveller’s cheques went on sale in London.
  • 1778The Times (UK) newspaper is published for the first time.

  • 1877Queen Victoria becomes Empress of India.
  • 1880 – Construction of the Panama Canal is started by Ferdinand de Lesseps.
  • 1892 – Ellis Island in Upper New York Bay starts to process immigrants to the United States.
  • 1934 – Alcatraz becomes a United States federal prison.
  • 1973 – The United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland join the EEC (European Economic Community).
  • 1999 – The Euro currency is introduced.

 

Who was born today?

  • 1735 – Paul Revere – American military officer.
  • 1879 – E. M. Forster – English author (A Passage to India, Howard’s End)
  • 1895 – J. Edgar Hoover – 1st director of the FBI.
  • 1919 – J. D. Salinger – American author (The Catcher in the Rye)

 

Who died today?

  • 1953 – Hank Williams – American singer-songwriter.
  • 1965 – Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson – founded National Allied Publications which became DC Comics.

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