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26 fun facts for January, 1

Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
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Summary
January 1st is a significant date in history marked by various national and international events including the beginning of the new Gregorian calendar year, the introduction of the Julian calendar, the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the independence of several countries such as Haiti, Romania, and Brunei. It is also an important day for technological advancements, politics, human rights, and entertainment.
26 Fun facts
  1. New Year's Day is observed as a national holiday in many countries around the world, marking the beginning of the new Gregorian calendar year.
  2. On January 1, 45 BC, the Julian calendar took effect as introduced by Julius Caesar.
  3. In 1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti's independence from France, making it the first black republic and the second country in the Americas to achieve independence.
  4. On January 1, 1863, US President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the freedom of all slaves in Confederate-held territory.
  5. In 1867, Romania became an independent state by uniting Wallachia and Moldavia under one ruler, Charles of Hohenzollern.
  6. On January 1, 1885, the first completed electric lighting system using Edison's overhead lines was displayed in Roselle, New Jersey.
  7. The first American Red Cross hospital was opened on January 1, 1915, in Washington, D.C., providing medical care for WWI soldiers.
  8. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began producing a daily news program on January 1, 1926.
  9. The USSR was formally dissolved on January 1, 1992, resulting in the creation of 15 independent republics.
  10. In 1984, AT&T was broken up into seven regional "Baby Bells" due to an antitrust lawsuit settlement in the United States.
  11. Czechoslovakia was peacefully split into two countries, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, on January 1, 1993.
  12. The Euro currency became the official currency of twelve European Union countries on January 1, 1999.
  13. New Zealand gives women the right to vote on January 1, 1893, becoming the first self-governing country to do so.
  14. In 1959, Cuban President Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro's forces, leading to the establishment of the Cuban communist government.
  15. On January 1, 1985, the Internet Domain Name System was officially created.
  16. American Samoa becomes a U.S. territory on January 1, 1899, after being annexed by the United States in 1900.
  17. The first Tournament of Roses Parade took place in Pasadena, California, USA, on January 1, 1890.
  18. In 1934, the First Alcatraz Island prisoners arrived at the new federal prison in San Francisco Bay.
  19. On 1st January 1901, the British colonies of Australia formed a federation, marking the birth of modern Australia.
  20. Brunei gains its independence from the United Kingdom on January 1, 1984.
  21. On January 1, 1935, the "Sugar Bowl", the first major college football bowl game, was played in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  22. In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt shut down a post office in Mississippi for not allowing black citizens to use its services.
  23. On January 1, 1910, Dr. Hawley H. Crippen poisoned his wife in what became one of the most famous murder cases in British history.
  24. Ellis Island immigrations station in New York officially opened on January 1, 1892, welcoming more than 12 million immigrants to the United States until its closure in 1954.
  25. On January 1, 1962, Western Samoa gained independence from New Zealand, becoming the Independent State of Samoa.
  26. On January 1, 2000, the world celebrates the beginning of the new millennium.

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