What Happened on January 9 in History?

January 9th marks significant historical moments like Connecticut ratifying the U.S. Constitution (1788), the first U.S. balloon flight (1793), British income tax introduction (1799), the unveiling of Daguerreotype photography (1839), the "Star of the West" incident starting the Civil War (1861), the end of the Gallipoli Campaign (1916), and the unveiling of the first iPhone (2007). It's also Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, celebrating overseas Indians.

Politics & Law

• 1788: Connecticut ratifies the U.S. Constitution, becoming the fifth state.

• 1799: William Pitt the Younger introduces Britain's first income tax to fund the Napoleonic Wars.

• 1822: Prince Pedro I decides to stay in Brazil, beginning its independence movement.

• 2005: Mahmoud Abbas elected head of the PLO, succeeding Yasser Arafat.

Science & Technology

• 1793: Jean-Pierre Blanchard makes the first balloon flight in the U.S.

• 1839: The Daguerreotype (early photography) process is announced in France.

• 2007: Steve Jobs introduces the first iPhone.

Military & Conflict

• 1792: Treaty of Jassy ends the Russo-Turkish War.

• 1861: Confederates fire on the Star of the West, an early Civil War event.

• 1916: Battle of Gallipoli ends with an Ottoman victory.

• 1945: U.S. forces land at Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines during WWII.

Culture & Society

• 1768: The first modern circus opens in London.

• 1806: Lord Nelson receives a state funeral in London.

• 2001: Apple introduces iTunes.