On This Day in History – January 10

Major Events

• 49 BCE – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon River with his army, an act of rebellion that leads to the Roman Civil War.
• 1776 – Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense, a pamphlet that powerfully argues for American independence.
• 1863 – The London Underground opens the world’s first underground railway.
• 1901 – An oil gusher is discovered at Spindletop in Texas, launching the modern petroleum industry.
• 1920 – The League of Nations is officially formed following World War I.
• 1946 – The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly is held in London.
• 1967 – Sweden switches from driving on the left side of the road to the right.
• 1972 – North Korea and South Korea hold their first Red Cross talks since the Korean War.
• 2007 – Apple introduces the first iPhone to the public (first unveiled at Macworld Expo).
• 2019 – Venezuela’s political crisis escalates as Nicolás Maduro begins a second disputed presidential term.

Famous Birthdays

• 1769 – Michel Ney, French military commander (d. 1815)
• 1876 – Thomas Hicks, American Olympic marathon runner (d. 1952)
• 1938 – Donald Fagen, American musician (Steely Dan)
• 1945 – Rod Stewart, British singer-songwriter
• 1951 – George P. Bush, American politician
• 1964 – Bob Eubanks, American television personality
• 1972 – Sarah Shahi, American actress
• 1980 – Jared Kushner, American businessman
• 1985 – Cody Simpson, Australian singer

Notable Deaths

• 236 – Pope Pontian, Bishop of Rome (b. unknown)
• 1778 – Carl Linnaeus, Swedish botanist and taxonomist (b. 1707)
• 1920 – John Francis Dodge, American automobile pioneer (b. 1864)
• 1946 – Georgi Dimitrov, Bulgarian communist leader (b. 1882)
• 1971 – Coco Chanel, French fashion designer (b. 1883)
• 1984 – Minnie Riperton, American singer (b. 1947)
• 1996 – Gerry Mulligan, American jazz saxophonist (b. 1927)
• 2016 – David Bowie, English singer-songwriter (b. 1947)
• 2021 – Sheldon Adelson, American businessman (b. 1933)

Holidays

• Majority Rule Day – United States Virgin Islands
• Asarah B’Tevet – Jewish observance (date varies by calendar)
• National Cut Your Energy Costs Day – United States

Fun Facts

• Crossing the Rubicon inspired the phrase “the die is cast.”
• Common Sense sold more copies than any other pamphlet in American history.
• The London Underground is still the oldest metro system in the world.
• The Spindletop oil discovery dramatically lowered oil prices worldwide.
• David Bowie died on January 10, just two days after releasing his final album.
• January 10 is often associated with bold decisions that changed history.