What are the important events that happened on January 1? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

January 1: Facts & Myths About This Day

January 1 is the 1^st day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 365 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Monday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is December 19, 2023 – a Monday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 1,704,067,200 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘henagon’ day.

Capricorn is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Garnet is the modern birthstone for this month. Emerald is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 40 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,028 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

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January 1: This Day In History

The preceding day is December 31 of the previous year.

During the Middle Ages under the influence of the Christian Church, many countries moved the start of the year to one of several important Christian festivals — December 25 (the Nativity of Jesus), March 1, March 25 (the Annunciation), or even Easter. Eastern European countries (most of them with populations showing allegiance to the Orthodox Church) began their numbered year on September 1 from about 988.

In England, January 1 was celebrated as the New Year festival, but from the 12th century to 1752 the year in England began on March 25 (Lady Day). So, for example, the Parliamentary record records the execution of Charles I occurring in 1648 (as the year did not end until March 24), although modern histories adjust the start of the year to January 1 and record the execution as occurring in 1649.

Most western European countries changed the start of the year to January 1 before they adopted the Gregorian calendar. For example, Scotland changed the start of the Scottish New Year to January 1 in 1600. England, Ireland and the British colonies changed the start of the year to January 1 in 1752. Later that year in September, the Gregorian calendar was introduced throughout Britain and the British colonies. These two reforms were implemented by the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750.

January 1 became the official start of the year as follows:

• 1522 The Republic of Venice
• 1544 Holy Roman Empire (Germany)
• 1556 Spain, Portugal
• 1559 Prussia, Sweden
• 1564 France
• 1576 Southern Netherlands
• 1579 Lorraine
• 1583 United Provinces of the Netherlands (northern)
• 1600 Scotland
• 1700 Russia
• 1721 Tuscany
• 1752 Great Britain (excluding Scotland) and its colonies

January 1 Historical Events

• 414 –
  Galla Placidia, half-sister of Emperor Honorius, is married to the Visigothic king Ataulf at Narbonne. The wedding is celebrated with Roman festivities and magnificent gifts from the Gothic booty.
• 1001 –
  Grand Prince Stephen I of Hungary is named the first King of Hungary by Pope Sylvester II.
• 1707 –
  John V is crowned King of Portugal.
• 1822 –
  The Greek Constitution of 1822 is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus.
• 1861 –
  Porfirio Díaz conquers Mexico City.
• 1913 –
  The British Board of Censors is established.
• 1948 –
  The Constitution of Italy comes into force.
• 1949 –
  United Nations cease-fire takes effect in Kashmir from one minute before midnight. War between India and Pakistan stops accordingly.
• 1993 –
  A single market within the European Community is introduced.
• 1995 –
  Sweden, Austria, and Finland are admitted into the European Union.

Who were born on January 1?

• 1745 –
  Anthony Wayne, American general and statesman (d. 1796)
• 1752 –
  Betsy Ross, American seamstress (d. 1836)
• 1888 –
  Georgios Stanotas, Greek cavalry officer (d. 1965)
• 1904 –
  Vasilis Avlonitis, Greek actor (d. 1970)
• 1919 –
  Yoshio Tabata, Japanese singer
• 1920 –
  Willie Fennell, Australian comedian, actor (d. 1992)
• 1942 –
  Al Hunt, American reporter and news anchor
• 1967 –
  Juanma Bajo Ulloa, Spanish film director
• 1974 –
  Giorgos Theodotou, Greek-Cypriot footballer
• 1979 –
  Brody Dalle, Australian singer (The Distillers)

Who died on January 1?

• 1559 –
  Christian III of Denmark and Norway (b. 1503)
• 1631 –
  Thomas Hobson, the “Cambridge Carrier”, eponym of Hobson’s Choice (b. 1544)
• 1881 –
  Louis Auguste Blanqui, French political activist (b. 1805)
• 1919 –
  Mikhail Drozdovsky, Russian general (b. 1881)
• 1953 –
  Hank Williams, American singer (b. 1923)
• 1986 –
  Bruce Norris, American hockey executive (Detroit Red Wings) (b. 1924)
• 2005 –
  Eugene J. Martin, American painter, artist (b. 1938)
• 2005 –
  Shirley Chisholm, American politician (b. 1924)
• 2007 –
  Del Reeves, American country singer (b. 1932)
• 2007 –
  Julius Hegyi, American conductor (b. 1923)

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