What Happened on January 2 in History?
January 2 has been a pivotal date for historical transitions, ranging from the end of centuries-long wars to major shifts in modern domestic policy and space exploration.
Major Historical Events
Reconquista of Spain (1492): The Emirate of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, surrendered to the forces of King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella I, effectively ending nearly 800 years of Muslim rule on the Iberian Peninsula.
Georgia Statehood (1788): Georgia ratified the U.S. Constitution to become the fourth state to join the Union.
Fall of Port Arthur (1905): During the Russo-Japanese War, Russian forces surrendered the strategic naval base of Port Arthur to the Japanese after a grueling six-month siege.
National Speed Limit Law (1974): U.S. President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, setting a national maximum speed limit of 55 MPH to conserve gasoline during the OPEC oil embargo.
Capture of the "Yorkshire Ripper" (1981): British police apprehended Peter Sutcliffe, ending a five-year manhunt for the serial killer who murdered at least 13 women in Northern England.
Science & Exploration
First Moon Photograph (1839): French photography pioneer Louis Daguerre took the first known photograph of the moon.
Luna 1 Launch (1959): The Soviet Union launched Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the moon and the first man-made object to enter a heliocentric orbit.
Stardust Comet Mission (2004): NASA's Stardust probe successfully flew through the tail of comet Wild 2, collecting dust samples that were later returned to Earth.
Civil Rights & Politics
The Tory Act (1776): The Continental Congress published this resolution describing how colonies should handle Americans remaining loyal to the British Crown.
The "Open Door Policy" (1900): U.S. Secretary of State John Hay announced this policy to promote equal trade opportunities with China.
Selma Voting Rights Drive (1965): Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama, effectively relaunching the campaign for Black voting rights that led to the historic Selma-to-Montgomery marches.
Ronald Reagan’s Governorship (1967): Former actor Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the 33rd Governor of California.
Tragedies & Notable Trials
Ibrox Stadium Disaster (1971): 66 soccer fans were killed and over 200 injured in a crush at Ibrox Park in Glasgow, Scotland, at the conclusion of a match between Rangers and Celtic.
Lindbergh Kidnapping Trial (1935): The trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, accused of kidnapping and murdering the infant son of aviator Charles Lindbergh, began in New Jersey.
Japan Airlines Flight 516 (2024): A JAL Airbus collided with a Coast Guard plane at Haneda Airport in Tokyo; while all 379 on the JAL flight survived, five Coast Guard members were killed.
Notable Births
Isaac Asimov (1920): Prolific Russian-American science fiction author of the Foundation and I, Robot series.
Greta Thunberg (2003): Swedish climate activist and founder of the "Fridays for the Future" movement.
Cuba Gooding Jr. (1968): Academy Award-winning American actor.
Christy Turlington (1969): Iconic American supermodel.
