Major Events

• 45 BCE – The Julian calendar takes effect for the first time, reforming the Roman calendar and establishing January 1 as the start of the new year.
• 1801 – The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is formally created through the Acts of Union.
• 1863 – The Emancipation Proclamation takes effect in the United States, declaring freedom for enslaved people in Confederate states.
• 1892 – Ellis Island opens in New York Harbor as a major immigration inspection station for the United States.
• 1912 – The Republic of China is proclaimed following the Xinhai Revolution, ending over 2,000 years of imperial rule.
• 1959 – Fidel Castro leads the Cuban Revolution to victory, overthrowing the Batista government.
• 1979 – The United States and China formally establish diplomatic relations.
• 1995 – The World Trade Organization (WTO) officially comes into existence.
• 2002 – Euro banknotes and coins are introduced in 12 European countries.
• 2013 – Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union.

Famous Birthdays

• 1449 – Lorenzo de’ Medici, Italian statesman and patron of the arts (d. 1492)
• 1735 – Paul Revere, American silversmith and patriot (d. 1818)
• 1864 – Alfred Stieglitz, American photographer (d. 1946)
• 1895 – J. Edgar Hoover, American law enforcement official (d. 1972)
• 1919 – J. D. Salinger, American author (d. 2010)
• 1937 – Jack Nicholson, American actor and filmmaker
• 1942 – Al Jardine, American musician (The Beach Boys)
• 1953 – Christine Lagarde, French politician and economist
• 1969 – Verne Troyer, American actor (d. 2018)

Notable Deaths

• 404 – Telemachus, Christian martyr
• 1431 – Alexander I of Scotland, King of Scots (b. c.1078)
• 1515 – Louis XII of France, French monarch (b. 1462)
• 1894 – Heinrich Hertz, German physicist (b. 1857)
• 1924 – Hermann Ahlwardt, German politician (b. 1846)
• 1971 – Max Ernst, German painter and sculptor (b. 1891)
• 1995 – Eugene Wigner, Hungarian-American physicist (b. 1902)
• 2017 – Townes Van Zandt, American singer-songwriter (b. 1944)
• 2020 – Don Larsen, American baseball player (b. 1929)

Holidays

• New Year’s Day – Celebrated worldwide
• Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God – Observed by the Roman Catholic Church
• Global Family Day – Promoting peace and unity
• Independence Day (Haiti)

Fun Facts

• January 1 is the most widely celebrated public holiday in the world.
• The tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates back over 4,000 years to ancient Babylon.
• Ellis Island processed more immigrants on January 1 than any other single date during its early years.
• The word “January” comes from Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions.
• Many countries historically celebrated the new year in March before calendar reforms.
• Babies born on January 1 are often nicknamed “New Year’s babies.”
• The euro became legal tender on January 1 but was planned years in advance.