January 21 facts for kids

This article is about January 21st, a day filled with many interesting events throughout history. From important discoveries to major world changes, let's explore what happened on this day.

Historic Events on January 21

Early History: Before 1600

• In 763, a big fight called the Battle of Bakhamra ended. This battle was between two groups, the Alids and the Abbasids, near a city called Kufa. The Alid rebellion stopped when their leader, Ibrahim, died.
• In 1525, a new religious group called the Anabaptist Movement started in Switzerland. People like Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz baptized each other in Zürich. This was a big change from the old tradition of church and state being together.
• In 1535, after a conflict known as the Affair of the Placards, the French king, Francis I of France, led a procession through Paris. This was a public display against Protestantism.

Modern History: 1601–1900

• In 1720, Sweden and Prussia signed the Treaty of Stockholm. This agreement helped end a long war in Northern Europe.
• In 1749, the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, Italy, was destroyed by a fire. A forgotten torch caused the blaze after a show. It was rebuilt a few years later in 1754.
• In 1774, Abdul Hamid I became the new Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He also became the Caliph, a leader in Islam.
• In 1789, the very first American novel was printed in Boston. It was called The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth and was written by William Hill Brown.
• In 1793, Louis XVI, the King of France, was found guilty of treason. He was then executed by guillotine during the French Revolution.
• In 1854, the large ship RMS Tayleur sank off Lambay Island on its first trip to Australia. Many lives were lost in this sad event.
• In 1893, a piece of land called the Tati Concessions Land became part of the Bechuanaland Protectorate. This area is now known as Botswana.

Recent History: 1901–Present

• In 1908, New York City tried to make a law called the Sullivan Ordinance. This law would have made it illegal for women to smoke in public. However, the mayor stopped the law from happening.
• In 1911, the very first Monte Carlo Rally took place. This is a famous car race that still happens today.
• In 1915, a service organization called Kiwanis International was started in Detroit.
• In 1919, a new Irish parliament was formed. It declared the independence of the Irish Republic. This day also saw one of the first fights of the Irish War of Independence.
• In 1925, Albania officially became a republic. This means it became a country governed by elected officials, not a king or queen.
• In 1931, Sir Isaac Isaacs became the first Australian-born Governor-General of Australia. This was a big moment for the country.
• In 1932, Finland and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression treaty. This meant they promised not to attack each other.
• In 1942, a Jewish resistance group called Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye was created in the Vilna Ghetto. They fought against the German occupation.
• In 1943, during World War II, British and Greek fighters destroyed a railway bridge. They also attacked a German convoy in the Battle of Sarantaporos.
• In 1948, the Flag of Quebec was officially adopted. It was flown for the first time over the National Assembly of Quebec. This day is now celebrated as Québec Flag Day.
• In 1950, American government official Alger Hiss was found guilty of perjury, which means lying under oath.
• In 1951, a volcano called Mount Lamington in Papua New Guinea erupted. This terrible event caused the deaths of 2,942 people.
• In 1954, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine was launched. It was named the USS Nautilus and was launched by Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the United States.
• In 1960, a Mercury spacecraft called Little Joe 1B took off. It carried a female monkey named Miss Sam into space.
• Also in 1960, a coal mine collapsed in South Africa. This accident tragically killed 435 miners.
• In 1968, the Vietnam War saw the start of the Battle of Khe Sanh. This was a very important and much-talked-about battle.
• Also in 1968, a B-52 bomber crashed near Thule Air Base. The crash caused nuclear material to spread, and one bomb was never found.
• In 1971, the Emley Moor transmitting station in the United Kingdom began broadcasting. It is the tallest free-standing structure in the UK.
• In 1976, the famous Concorde airplane began its first commercial flights. It flew routes from London to Bahrain and Paris to Rio.
• In 1980, Iran Air Flight 291 crashed in the Alborz Mountains in Iran. All 128 people on board died.
• In 1981, the production of the unique DeLorean sports car began in Northern Ireland.
• In 1985, Galaxy Airlines Flight 203 crashed near Reno, Nevada. This accident killed 70 people.
• In 1997, the United States House of Representatives voted to officially criticize Newt Gingrich. He was the first Speaker of the House to be disciplined in this way.
• In 2000, there was political unrest in Ecuador. After protests, President Jamil Mahuad was removed from power.
• In 2003, a strong 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Mexican state of Colima. It killed 29 people and left about 10,000 without homes.
• In 2004, NASA's Mars Rover Spirit stopped communicating. The problem was with its memory, but it was fixed remotely from Earth a few weeks later.
• In 2005, riots broke out in Belmopan, Belize. People were protesting new government taxes.
• In 2009, Israel pulled its troops out of the Gaza Strip. This officially ended a three-week war with Hamas.
• In 2011, there were anti-government protests in Tirana, Albania. Four people were killed by gunshots.
• In 2014, the Jazira Canton in Syria declared its independence. This was part of the Rojava conflict.
• In 2017, a huge women's march took place in hundreds of cities worldwide. It happened on Donald Trump's first full day as President of the United States.

Famous Births on January 21

Historical Figures: Before 1900

• 1338 – Charles V of France, a French king.
• 1738 – Ethan Allen, an American general during the American Revolution.
• 1824 – Stonewall Jackson, a famous American general.
• 1829 – Oscar II of Sweden, who was the King of Sweden and Norway.
• 1869 – Grigori Rasputin, a Russian mystic who influenced the Russian royal family.
• 1895 – Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Spanish fashion designer who founded the famous fashion house Balenciaga.
• 1896 – Paula Hitler, the younger sister of Adolf Hitler.

Notable People: 1901–Present

• 1905 – Christian Dior, a French fashion designer who founded Christian Dior S.A..
• 1905 – Karl Wallenda, a German-American acrobat and tightrope walker. He founded The Flying Wallendas.
• 1922 – Telly Savalas, a well-known American actor.
• 1922 – Paul Scofield, an English actor.
• 1924 – Benny Hill, a famous English actor and comedian.
• 1926 – Steve Reeves, an American bodybuilder and actor.
• 1940 – Jack Nicklaus, one of the greatest American golfers of all time.
• 1941 – Plácido Domingo, a famous Spanish opera singer and conductor.
• 1941 – Richie Havens, an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.
• 1942 – Mac Davis, an American singer-songwriter and actor.
• 1942 – Edwin Starr, an American singer.
• 1950 – Billy Ocean, a popular Trinidadian-English singer-songwriter.
• 1953 – Paul Allen, an American businessman who co-founded Microsoft.
• 1956 – Robby Benson, an American actor and director.
• 1956 – Geena Davis, a well-known American actress and producer.
• 1963 – Hakeem Olajuwon, a Nigerian-American basketball player, considered one of the greatest.
• 1965 – Jam Master Jay, an American DJ and rapper from the group Run-DMC.
• 1975 – Nicky Butt, an English footballer and coach.
• 1976 – Emma Bunton, an English singer, famous as "Baby Spice" from the Spice Girls.
• 1977 – Phil Neville, an English footballer and manager.
• 1977 – Jerry Trainor, an American actor, known for his roles in Nickelodeon shows.
• 1979 – Brian O'Driscoll, a famous Irish rugby player.
• 1981 – Dany Heatley, a Canadian ice hockey player.
• 1981 – Michel Teló, a popular Brazilian singer-songwriter.
• 1988 – Ashton Eaton, an American decathlete, one of the best in the world.
• 1989 – Henrikh Mkhitaryan, an Armenian footballer.
• 1994 – Laura Robson, an Australian-English tennis player.
• 1994 – Booboo Stewart, an American actor.
• 1996 – Marco Asensio, a Spanish footballer.
• 2004 – Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, a member of the Norwegian royal family.
• 2007 – Luke Littler, an English darts player.

Notable Deaths on January 21

Historical Figures: Before 1900

• 1793 – Louis XVI of France, the former King of France, who was executed.
• 1870 – Alexander Herzen, a Russian philosopher and writer.

Notable People: 1901–Present

• 1924 – Vladimir Lenin, a key leader of the Russian Revolution.
• 1938 – Georges Méliès, a French filmmaker who was a pioneer in special effects.
• 1950 – George Orwell, a famous British novelist and essayist, known for books like Animal Farm.
• 1959 – Cecil B. DeMille, a very important American film director and producer.
• 2002 – Peggy Lee, a popular American singer.
• 2006 – Ibrahim Rugova, the first President of Kosovo.
• 2015 – Leon Brittan, an English lawyer and politician.
• 2016 – Mrinalini Sarabhai, a famous Indian classical dancer and choreographer.
• 2020 – Terry Jones, a Welsh actor, director, and writer, known for Monty Python.
• 2022 – Louie Anderson, an American actor and comedian.

Holidays and Observances

• Errol Barrow Day is celebrated in Barbados.
• Flag Day (Quebec) is observed in Quebec, Canada.
• Grandmother's Day is celebrated in Poland.
• National Hugging Day is celebrated in the United States.
• Lincoln Alexander Day is observed in Canada.

See also

In Spanish: 21 de enero para niños