Circa 540 BCE, January
Leonidas I, King of Sparta, is born. Son of King Anaxandrides II and a member of the Agiad dynasty.
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On This Day in History: January 31
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on January 31st. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Louis XII of France is forced to cede Naples to Spain and signs the Treaty of Lyon on January 31, 1504 as he faced a coalition gathered by Ferdinand II of Aragon Ferdinand II of Aragon and military defeats.
Louis had conquered the Duchy of Milan in 1500 and pushed forward to the Kingdom of Naples, which fell to him in 1501.
The Battle of Gembloux on January 31, 1578 during the Eighty Years' War between the Spanish forces led by Don Juan de Austria), the Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands, and a rebel army under Antoine de Goignies, War results in the Spanish forces victory over he rebel forces.
The Treaty of Neah Bay is signed on January 31, 1855, between the Makah Nation and the U.S. Government, establishing the Makah Reservation in the US Territory of Washington, preserving tribal Identity and guaranteeing sovereign rights to natural resources but ceding over 300,000 acres to the US government. More
The "Great Eastern" the largest ship ever built at the time, is launched in England on January 31, 1858.
Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to carry 4,000 passengers from England to Australia without refueling, featuring a revolutionary mixed propulsion (steam and sail) and innovative safety elements like a double hull. Despite its engineering marvel, it struggled to find its market, eventually becoming successful laying transatlantic cables.
The United States Congress passed the 13th Amendment, on January 31, 1865, abolishing slavery and sends it to the States for ratification. The amendment passed 119 to 56, barely above the required two-thirds majority. Ratification from the States was received on December 6, 1865, ending the institution of slavery in the U.S. with a final constitutional solution. More
U.S. President Harry Truman publicly announces on January 31, 1950, his decision to continue and intensify research and production of thermonuclear weapons.(Hydrogen Bomb).
The weapon, theorized at that time to be hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan during World War II. Five months earlier, the Soviet Union successfully detonated an atomic bomb. Then, several weeks after that, British and U.S. intelligence came to the staggering conclusion that German-born Klaus Fuchs, a top-ranking scientist in the U.S. nuclear program, was a spy for the Soviet Union. More
The United States enters the space age on January 31, 1958, by launching its first satellite, Explorer 1.
Apollo 14 lifts off for the moon on January 31, 1971 with astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell. On February 5, 1971, Shepard and Mitchell touched down at the Fra Mauro highlands, spending two days on the Moon performing two extravehicular activities.
The first McDonald's restaurant in the Soviet Union opens in Moscow's Pushkin Square on January 31, 1990. Over 30,000 people lined up for hours on the first day, setting a new company record, with many paying high prices for their first taste of American fast food.
At 11 p.m. GMT (midnight Central European Time) on January 31, 2020, the UK formally withdraws its membership from the European Union (EU). The departure initiated an 11-month transition period that concluded on December 31, 2020.
During the transition period. the UK was out of the EU but continued to follow most EU rules and trade arrangements. On January 1, 2021, the transition period ended and the UK officially left the EU's single market and customs union.