Historical Events on January 3

  • 1777: British General Lord Cornwallis is beaten by American General George Washinton at the Battle of Princeton.
  • 1815: To defend themselves against Russia and Prussia, Austria, the U.K and France form a secret alliance.
  • 1823: Mexico grants Stephen Austin a land grant in Texas.
  • 1861: Delaware votes against secession from the U.S.
  • 1870: Brooklyn Bridge’s construction begins on this day.
  • 1925: Benito Mussolini declares himself dictator of Italy.
  • 1938:S President Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes the March of Dimes.
  • 1944: Japanese Captain Masajiro Kawato and his Mitsubishi A6M Zero shoots down U.S Major Greg Boyington in his Vought F4U Corsair fighter.
  • 1945: In preparation of the planned assaults that are to be undertaken against Okinawa and Iwo Jima, U.S Admiral Chester W. Nimitz is placed in charge of all United States’ Naval Forces.
  • 1947: For the first time in history, a session of the United States Congress is televised.
  • 1956: The top portion of France’s Eiffel Tower is damaged by fire.
  • 1959: Alaska becomes the 49th State of the United States.
  • 1999: NASA launches the Mars Polar Lander.
  • 2000: The very last daily Peanuts comic strip is published on this day.

Famous Birthdays on January 3

  • English writer and poet, J.R.R. Tolkien is born in 1892.
  • American actress ZaSu Pitts is born in 1894.
  • American actress and comedian, Marion Davies is born in 1897.
  • American actress Anna May Wong is born in 1905.
  • Welsh-American actor Ray Milland is born in 1907.
  • American singer Maxene Andrews is born in 1916.
  • American-English poet and writer Anne Stevenson is born in 1933.
  • American director and screenwriter Glen A. Larson is born in 1937.
  • Canadian NHL player Bobby Hull is born in 1939.
  • American-Australian actor, director, screenwriter and producer, Mel Gibson is born in 1956.
  • American screenwriter Dan Harmon is born in 1973.
  • American baseball player A.J. Burnett is born in 1977.
  • American football player David Tyree is born in 1980.