What are the important events that happened on January 8? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
January 8: Facts & Myths About This Day
January 8 is the 8th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 358 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Monday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is December 26, 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, 473,520 hours 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 ‘octagon’ 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 33 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 4,035 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Do people and celebrities interest you? Discover all the January 8 famous birthdays who share your special day. Learn some fun facts about your birthday! (Sponsored link)
January 8 Historical Events
- 871 –Alfred the Great leads a West Saxon army to repel an invasion by Danelaw Vikings.
- 1806 –Cape Colony becomes a British colony.
- 1815 –War of 1812: Battle of New Orleans – Andrew Jackson leads American forces in victory over the British.
- 1906 –A landslide in Haverstraw, New York, caused by the excavation of clay along the Hudson River, kills 20 people.
- 1918 –President Woodrow Wilson announces his “Fourteen Points” for the aftermath of World War I.
- 1940 –World War II: Britain introduces food rationing.
- 1977 –Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
- 1982 –The break up of AT&T: AT&T agrees to divest itself of twenty-two subdivisions.
- 2002 –President George W. Bush signs into law the No Child Left Behind Act.
- 2004 –The RMS Queen Mary 2, the largest passenger ship ever built, is christened by her namesake’s granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
Who were born on January 8?
- 1830 –Albert Bierstadt, German/American painter (d. 1902)
- 1947 –Don Bendell, American author & karate master
- 1975 –DJ Clue, American DJ and producer
- 1977 –Amber Benson, American actress
- 1979 –Stipe Pletikosa, Croatian footballer
- 1983 –Kim Jong-un, North Korean leader (year disputed, possibly 1984)
- 1986 –David Silva, Spanish footballer
- 1986 –Jaclyn Linetsky, Canadian actress (d. 2003)
- 1986 –Maria Ozawa, Japanese/French-Canadian pornstar
- 2011 –Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine of Denmark, twin children of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark
Who died on January 8?
- 1707 –John Dalrymple, 1st Earl of Stair, Scottish politician (b. 1648)
- 1854 –William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford, British general and politician (b. 1768)
- 1883 –Miska Magyarics, Slovene poet in Hungary (b. 1825)
- 1918 –Ellis H. Roberts, American politician (b. 1827)
- 1950 –Joseph Schumpeter, Austrian economist (b. 1883)
- 1967 –Zbigniew Cybulski, Polish actor (b. 1927)
- 1979 –Sara Carter, American country musician (b. 1898)
- 2002 –Dave Thomas, American fast food entrepreneur (b. 1932)
- 2007 –Francis Cockfield, British politician (b. 1916)
- 2008 –George Moore, Australian champion jockey (b. 1923)
Holy Toledo! Did you know that coffee and word games are an excellent combination to sharpen your vocabulary? Let’s give it a quick spin. Within 30 seconds, how many words can you think of from these letters COAOMLOTL? Check your answers here: Unscramble words COAOMLOTL. (Sponsored by WordFinder.Cafe)