The first American professional librarian, Louis Timothee, is hired in Philadelphia.
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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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Columbia University in New York City holds its first classes.
The British Museum opens its doors to the public in Montagu House, London.
The Treaty of Westminster between France and Great Britain marks the start of the Seven Years' War.
Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, flees to France following his failed Jacobite Rising in Scotland.
George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis in Virginia.
The British Museum, established in 1753, opens to the public. The Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone are among its world-renowned antiquities and archaeological holdings.
Afghani ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani defeats the Marathas in the Battle of Barari Ghat, consolidating power in India.
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the first African-American denomination in the United States, is founded in New York City.
The English Parliament passes the American Revenue Act, which initiates the taxation of the American colonies.
The Leiden University Library, one of the oldest in the Netherlands, burns down with over 100,000 books lost.
The British Parliament repeals the Stamp Act, a major concession to the American colonies.
English explorer Captain James Cook anchors at Botany Bay in Australia during his first voyage.
The first institution dedicated to the study of volcanoes, the Osservatorio Vesuviano, is established in Naples, Italy.
The first shipment of rhubarb from the American colonies arrives in London.
The Spanish mission San Gabriel Arcángel is founded in California, becoming one of the oldest Catholic missions.
The first traveler's cheques are issued by the London Credit Exchange Company.
The American Continental Army is established by the Continental Congress, with George Washington appointed as its commander-in-chief.
Thomas Paine publishes "Common Sense," advocating American independence from Britain. More
American forces defeat the British at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek in the American Revolutionary War.