The Rum Rebellion in Australia sees Governor William Bligh deposed by the New South Wales Corps.
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What Happened in January?
Tragic deaths, ravaged cities, and great acts of heroism. Discover what happened this month in history and the defining moments that shaped the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Edgar Allan Poe, American author and poet, is born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Denmark cedes Norway to Sweden on January 14, 1814 following the Treaty of Kiel between Sweden and Denmark-Norway. The measure was as punishment for siding with Napoleonic France in the Napoleonic Wars.
Major General Andrew Jackson leads a small, poorly-equipped army to victory at the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, against eight thousand British troops during the "War of 1812".
The battle's military significance was minimal but the American victory was a big morale boost for the young nation and made Jackson a national hero. The battle took place after the signing but before ratification of the Treaty of Ghent which ended the war between the U.S. and Great Britain, and before news of the Treaty reached the respective armies in the field.
Argentine General José de San Martín begins his legendary Crossing of the Andes on January 17, 1817 during the South American Wars of Independence. The successful crossing led to the decisive Battle of Chacabuco on February 12, 1817, and the entry into Santiago on February 14, establishing San Martín's reputation and securing Chile's path to independence.
The British explorer and navigator John Ross reaches the North Magnetic Pole.
Simon Bolivar, the South American revolutionary, proclaims the Republic of Colombia.
Britain's King George III dies at age 81, on January 29, 1820 and his eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, ascends to the throne as King George IV. George III had suffered years of mental illness and his son had already ruled as Prince Regent since 1811 due to his father's incapacity.
George IV reigned for ten years until his own death in 1830. He was succeeded by his younger brother, William IV, since George had no legitimate surviving children.
The Mexican War of Independence concludes as Spain recognizes Mexican independence with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba.
Stephen F. Austin receives a grant of land in Texas from Mexico, initiating American colonization.
Peru defeats Spain in the Battle of Ayacucho, effectively securing South American independence.
Frenchman Louis Braille publishes his system of raised dots for blind readers.
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William Lloyd Garrison publishes the first edition of the Boston abolitionist newspaper, "The Liberator." The weekly paper became a leading voice for the immediate emancipation of enslaved people; it was published until the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States in 1865.
The Kingdom of Poland adopts a constitution, granting limited freedoms.
The United States national debt is zero for the first and only time in its history.
Davy Crockett arrives in Texas, on January 9, 1836 to join the fight for independence from Mexico. Crockett died on March 6, 1836: at the Battle of the Alamo defending the mission.
Michigan becomes the 26th state of the United States.
Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail publicly demonstrate their telegraph system for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey, by sending a telegram across two miles of wire. Morse continued to improve the system as well as invented the Morse Code while trying to get financial backing.
The British East India Company captures Aden, establishing a strategic foothold in Yemen.
The United States Naval officer, Lt. Charles Wilkes, exploring expedition of the South Seas reaches the Antarctic continent on January 19, 1840. The six U.S. Navy vessels under Wilkes command had set out in 1838 on a great voyage of exploration with several hundred seamen and scientists to explore and map the Pacific, Antarctica, and the northwest coast of the United States.
Lt. Charles Wilkes' tremendous feat of navigation during his 4 year expedition helped broadened the knowledge of uncharted areas of the world and to expand American scientific knowledge, commerce, industry, and world standing. Wilkes is credited with proving the existence of Antarctica as a land continent, a vital contribution to world geography. More