What Happened on January 10 in History?
January 10 has been the date of several major political shifts, technological milestones, and significant cultural events throughout history.
Major Historical Milestones
49 BC: Caesar Crosses the Rubicon. Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon river, an act of defiance against the Roman Senate that triggered a civil war and led to the end of the Roman Republic.
1776: Publication of "Common Sense." Thomas Paine anonymously published his 47-page pamphlet, which urged the American colonies to seek independence from British rule. It became the best-selling American title of all time per population.
1863: The London Underground Opens. The world’s first urban underground railway, the Metropolitan Railway, began passenger service between Paddington and Farringdon Street.
1920: The League of Nations is Established. The Treaty of Versailles officially went into effect, ending World War I and establishing the League of Nations as an international organization aimed at maintaining world peace.
1946: First UN General Assembly. The United Nations held its first-ever General Assembly session in London, with 51 nations represented.
1984: US-Vatican Relations Re-established. After a 117-year break, the United States and the Vatican established full diplomatic relations for the first time since the mid-19th century.
Science and Technology
1870: Formation of Standard Oil. John D. Rockefeller and his partners incorporated Standard Oil of Ohio, which eventually became a massive monopoly in the oil industry.
1901: Texas Oil Boom Begins. The Spindletop "gusher" in Beaumont, Texas, was discovered, marking the start of the modern American oil industry.
1946: Project Diana. The U.S. Army Signal Corps successfully bounced radar signals off the Moon for the first time.
2016: Hyperloop Success. The first successful open-air test of the Hyperloop transportation system occurred in California.
Culture and Sports
1927: Premiere of Metropolis. Fritz Lang’s groundbreaking futuristic science-fiction film premiered in Berlin.
1929: The Adventures of Tintin Debuts. The iconic comic strip by Belgian artist Hergé was first published in a supplement to a Belgian newspaper.
1982: "The Catch." In the NFC Championship, Joe Montana threw a legendary touchdown pass to Dwight Clark, leading the San Francisco 49ers to their first Super Bowl victory.
1999: The Sopranos Premieres. The critically acclaimed mob drama series debuted on HBO.
2000: AOL-Time Warner Merger. One of the largest corporate mergers in history was announced, valued at over $160 billion.
Notable Births and Deaths
Births: Boxer George Foreman (1949), musician Rod Stewart (1945), singer Pat Benatar (1953), and financier Jared Kushner (1981).
Deaths: Inventor Samuel Colt (1862), fashion icon Coco Chanel (1971), and legendary musician David Bowie (2016).
Annual Observances
World Hindi Day: Declared in 2006 to promote the Hindi language globally, commemorating the first World Hindi Conference in 1975.
Quitter's Day: Informally known as the second Friday in January, research suggests this is when most people abandon their New Year’s resolutions.
