January 11 in History

Historical Events on January 11

532

Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence.
947

Emperor Tai Zong of the Khitan-led Liao Dynasty invades the Later Jin, resulting in the destruction of the Later Jin.
1055

Theodora is crowned empress of the Byzantine Empire.
1158

Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia becomes king of Bohemia.
1569

First recorded lottery in England.
1571

Austrian nobility is granted freedom of religion.
1693

A powerful earthquake destroys parts of Sicily and Malta.
1759

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first American life insurance company is incorporated.
1779

Ching-Thang Khomba is crowned King of Manipur.
1787

William Herschel discovers Titania and Oberon, two moons of Uranus.
1805

The Michigan Territory is created.
1861

Alabama secedes from the United States.
1863

American Civil War: Battle of Arkansas Post: General John McClernand and Admiral David Dixon Porter capture the Arkansas River for the Union.
1863

American Civil War: CSS Alabama encounters and sinks the USS Hatteras off Galveston Lighthouse in Texas.
1879

The Anglo-Zulu War begins.
1908

Grand Canyon National Monument is created.
1912

Immigrant textile works in Lawrence, Massachusetts, go on strike when wages are reduced in response to a mandated shortening of the work week.
1917

The Kingsland munitions factory explosion occurs as a result of sabotage.
1922

First use of insulin to treat diabetes in a human patient.
1923

Occupation of the Ruhr: Troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area to force Germany to make its World War I reparation payments.
1927

Louis B. Mayer, head of film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), announces the creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, at a banquet in Los Angeles, California.
1935

Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
1942

World War II: The Japanese capture Kuala Lumpur.
1942

World War II: The Japanese attack Tarakan in Borneo, Netherlands Indies (Battle of Tarakan)
1943

The Republic of China agrees to the Sino-British New Equal Treaty and the Sino-American New Equal Treaty.
1943

Italian-American anarchist Carlo Tresca is assassinated in New York City.
1946

Enver Hoxha, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Albania, declares the People's Republic of Albania with himself as head of state.
1949

The first "networked" television broadcasts took place as KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania goes on the air connecting the east coast and mid-west programming.
1957

The African Convention is founded in Dakar, Senegal.
1961

Throgs Neck Bridge over the East River, linking New York City's boroughs of The Bronx and Queens, opens to road traffic.
1962

Cold War: While tied to its pier in Polyarny, the Soviet submarine B-37 is destroyed when fire breaks out in its torpedo compartment.
1962

An avalanche on Huascarán in Peru causes around 4,000 deaths.
1964

Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Luther Terry, M.D., publishes the landmark report Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the United States saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking national and worldwide anti-smoking efforts.
1972

East Pakistan renames itself Bangladesh.
1973

Major League Baseball owners vote in approval of the American League adopting the designated hitter position.
1986

The Gateway Bridge, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia is officially opened.
1994

The Irish Government announces the end of a 15-year broadcasting ban on the IRA and its political arm Sinn Féin.
1996

Space Shuttle program: STS-72 launches from the Kennedy Space Center marking the start of the 74th Space Shuttle mission and the 10th flight of Endeavour.
1998

Over 100 people are killed in the Sidi-Hamed massacre in Algeria.
2003

Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois's death row based on the Jon Burge scandal.
2013

One French soldier and 17 militants are killed in a failed attempt to free a French hostage in Bulo Marer, Somalia.

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