Today in history: Jan. 7
America held its first presidential election as voters chose electors who, a month later, selected George Washington to be the nation’s first chief executive, and more events that happened on this day in history.
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1789: George Washington
In 1789, America held its first presidential election as voters chose electors who, a month later, selected George Washington to be the nation’s first chief executive.
1942: Bataan
In 1942, Japanese forces began besieging American and Filipino troops in Bataan during World War II. (The fall of Bataan three months later was followed by the notorious Death March.)
1953: State of the Union
In 1953, President Truman announced in his State of the Union message to Congress that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb.
1959: Fidel Castro
In 1959, the United States recognized the new government of Cuba, six days after Fidel Castro led the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista.
1972: Supreme Court Justices
In 1972, Lewis F. Powell, Jr. and William H. Rehnquist were sworn in as the 99th and 100th members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
1989: Emperor Hirohito
In 1989, Emperor Hirohito of Japan died in Tokyo at age 87; he was succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Akihito.
1999: Bill Clinton
In 1999, for the second time in history, an impeached American president went on trial before the Senate. President Bill Clinton faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; he was acquitted.
2004: George W. Bush
In 2004, President George W. Bush proposed legal status, at least temporarily, for millions of immigrants improperly working in the U.S.
2006: Tom DeLay
In 2006, U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, facing corruption charges, stepped down as House majority leader. (DeLay was found guilty in Nov. 2010 of illegally funneling corporate money to Texas candidates; his conviction was eventually overturned.)
2015: Paris
In 2015, masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French newspaper that had caricatured the Prophet Mohammad, methodically killing 12 people, including the editor, before escaping in a car. (Two suspects were killed two days later.)
2016: Barack Obama
Five years ago: President Barack Obama tore into the National Rifle Association during a televised town hall meeting in Fairfax, Virginia, as he dismissed what he called a “conspiracy” alleging that the federal government — and Obama in particular — wanted to seize all firearms as a precursor to imposing martial law.
2019: Amazon
In 2019, Amazon eclipsed Microsoft as the most valuable publicly-traded company in the U.S. For the first time in more than 25 years.
2020: Harvey Weinstein
One year ago: Jury selection began in New York for the rape and sexual assault trial of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein; about a third of the first 120 prospective jurors were sent home after they said they could not be impartial.
2020: Iran
One year ago: A stampede at the funeral of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in his Iranian hometown of Kerman killed 56 people and injured more than 200.
2020: Neil Peart
One year ago: Neil Peart, the drummer for the influential rock trio Rush, died at the age of 67 at his California home; the band said he had been battling brain cancer.
2020: Puerto Rico
One year ago: A magnitude 6.4 earthquake, the strongest to hit Puerto Rico in more than 100 years, killed one person, injured nine others and knocked out power across the U.S. territory.
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