January 2 facts for kids

January 2 is the second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 363 days remain until the end of the year (364 in leap years).

Every day is special, and January 2nd is no exception! Many important events have happened on this day throughout history, and many famous people were born or passed away. Let's explore some of the interesting things that have taken place on January 2nd.

Events

Important Moments Before 1600

• 69 – In ancient Rome, soldiers in a place called Germania Superior refused to follow the emperor, Galba. Instead, they chose their own leader, Vitellius, to be emperor.
• 366 – A large group of people called the Alemanni crossed the frozen Rhine River. They were invading the Roman Empire.
• 533 – Mercurius became Pope John II. He was the first pope to choose a new name when he became the leader of the Catholic Church.
• 1492 – The Reconquista ended. This was a long period when Christian kingdoms took back control of Spain from the Moors. The last Moorish stronghold, the Emirate of Granada, surrendered.

Key Events from 1601 to 1900

• 1777 – During the American Revolutionary War, American soldiers led by George Washington fought off a British attack. This happened near Trenton, New Jersey, in a battle called the Battle of the Assunpink Creek.
• 1788 – Georgia became the fourth state to agree to the United States Constitution. This important document set up the government of the USA.
• 1818 – A group of six engineers in Britain started the Institution of Civil Engineers. This organization helps engineers learn and share ideas. Later, Thomas Telford became its first president.
• 1900 – An American leader named John Hay announced the Open Door Policy. This policy aimed to make trade with China fair for all countries.
• 1900 – The Chicago Canal officially opened. This canal helped connect the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River system.

Modern History: 1901 to Today

• 1920 – The US Department of Justice carried out the second Palmer Raid. About 6,000 people suspected of being communists or anarchists were arrested. They were held without a trial.
• 1921 – The science fiction play R.U.R. by Czech writer Karel Čapek was first performed. This play is famous for introducing the word "robot."
• 1942 – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) caught 33 members of a German spy group. This was the largest spy case in US history. It was known as the Duquesne Spy Ring.
• 1942 – During World War II, Japanese forces took control of Manila in the Philippines.
• 1949 – Luis Muñoz Marín became the first elected Governor of Puerto Rico. This was a big step for democracy there.
• 1954 – India created its highest awards for citizens: the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan. These awards honor people for their great achievements.
• 1959 – The Soviet Union launched Luna 1. This was the first spacecraft to get close to the Moon and the first to orbit the Sun.
• 1963 – In the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong group won its first major battle, called the Battle of Ap Bac.
• 1967 – Ronald Reagan, who used to be a movie actor, became Governor of California. He later became President of the United States.
• 1971 – The second Ibrox disaster happened at a soccer match in Scotland. Sixty-six fans died during a game between Rangers and Celtic.
• 1974 – US President Richard Nixon signed a law to lower the national speed limit to 55 mph. This was done to save gasoline during an oil shortage.
• 1976 – A very strong storm, the Gale of January 1976, caused widespread coastal flooding around the North Sea. It affected many countries and caused many deaths and a lot of damage.
• 1991 – Sharon Pratt Dixon became the first African American woman to be mayor of a major US city. She became the Mayor of the District of Columbia.
• 2004 – The Stardust spacecraft flew past Comet Wild 2. It collected samples from the comet that were later brought back to Earth.
• 2022 – Large protests and unrest started in Kazakhstan because of a sudden rise in gas prices. Over 200 people died and thousands were hurt.
• 2024 – Two airplanes crashed on a runway at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Five people died and 15 were injured.

Births

Famous People Born Before 1600

• 1462 – Piero di Cosimo, a talented Italian painter.
• 1509 – Henry of Stolberg, a German nobleman.

Notable Births from 1601 to 1900

• 1642 – Mehmed IV, an Ottoman sultan.
• 1647 – Nathaniel Bacon, an English-American rebel leader.
• 1699 – Osman III, another Ottoman sultan.
• 1727 – James Wolfe, an English general.
• 1822 – Rudolf Clausius, a Polish-German physicist and mathematician. He helped us understand heat and energy.
• 1836 – Queen Emma of Hawaii.
• 1837 – Mily Balakirev, a Russian pianist and composer.
• 1870 – Ernst Barlach, a German sculptor and playwright.
• 1873 – Thérèse of Lisieux, a French nun and saint.
• 1886 – Apsley Cherry-Garrard, an English explorer and author. He was part of an expedition to the South Pole.
• 1895 – Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish diplomat.
• 1900 – Una Ledingham, a British doctor known for her research on diabetes during pregnancy.

People Born from 1901 to Today

• 1901 – Bob Marshall, an American activist who helped start The Wilderness Society.
• 1903 – Kane Tanaka, a Japanese woman who lived to be one of the oldest people ever recorded.
• 1909 – Barry Goldwater, an American politician and author.
• 1920 – Isaac Asimov, a famous American writer and science professor. He wrote many science fiction books.
• 1926 – Gino Marchetti, an American football player.
• 1931 – Toshiki Kaifu, a Japanese lawyer and politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan.
• 1936 – Roger Miller, an American singer-songwriter and actor.
• 1938 – David Bailey, an English photographer.
• 1944 – Norodom Ranariddh, a Cambodian politician who was the first Prime Minister of Cambodia.
• 1947 – Jack Hanna, an American zoologist and author, known for his work with animals.
• 1961 – Gabrielle Carteris, an American actress.
• 1963 – David Cone and Edgar Martínez, both famous American baseball players.
• 1965 – Francois Pienaar, a South African rugby player.
• 1967 – Tia Carrere, an American actress.
• 1968 – Cuba Gooding, Jr., a well-known American actor.
• 1969 – Christy Turlington, an American model.
• 1971 – Taye Diggs and Renée Elise Goldsberry, both American actors and singers.
• 1975 – Dax Shepard, an American actor.
• 1976 – Paz Vega, a Spanish actress.
• 1983 – Kate Bosworth, an American actress.
• 1987 – Shelley Hennig, an American actress and model.
• 1991 – Ben Hardy, an English actor.
• 1993 – Bryson Tiller, an American singer and rapper.
• 1999 – Fernando Tatís Jr., an American baseball player.

Deaths

People Who Passed Away Before 1600

• 1169 – Bertrand de Blanchefort, the sixth leader of the Knights Templar.
• 1512 – Svante Nilsson, a Swedish politician.
• 1557 – Pontormo, an Italian painter.

Deaths from 1601 to 1900

• 1613 – Salima Sultan Begum, an Empress of the Mughal Empire.
• 1763 – John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, an English statesman.
• 1861 – Frederick William IV of Prussia, a king of Prussia.
• 1892 – George Biddell Airy, an English mathematician and astronomer.

People Who Passed Away from 1901 to Today

• 1904 – James Longstreet, an American general and diplomat.
• 1915 – Karl Goldmark, a Hungarian violinist and composer.
• 1924 – Sabine Baring-Gould, an English author and scholar.
• 1953 – Guccio Gucci, an Italian businessman who founded the famous fashion brand Gucci.
• 1963 – Dick Powell and Jack Carson, both American actors.
• 1974 – Tex Ritter, an American actor.
• 1977 – Erroll Garner, an American pianist and composer.
• 1986 – Una Merkel, an American actress.
• 1990 – Alan Hale Jr., an American actor known for film and TV.
• 1994 – Dixy Lee Ray, an American biologist and politician who was the Governor of Washington.
• 1995 – Siad Barre, a Somalian general and politician who was the President of Somalia.
• 2000 – Patrick O'Brian, an English author.
• 2001 – William P. Rogers, an American lawyer and politician who served as United States Secretary of State.
• 2007 – Teddy Kollek, an Israeli politician who was the Mayor of Jerusalem.
• 2011 – Pete Postlethwaite, an English actor.
• 2012 – Gordon Hirabayashi, an American-Canadian sociologist and activist.
• 2015 – Tihomir Novakov, a Serbian-American physicist.
• 2016 – Nimr al-Nimr, a Saudi Arabian religious leader.
• 2018 – Thomas S. Monson, a religious leader and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• 2019 – Daryl Dragon, an American musician, and Bob Einstein, an American actor and comedian.
• 2022 – Richard Leakey, a Kenyan paleontologist and politician.
• 2023 – Ken Block, an American rally driver.

Holidays and Observances

• Ancestry Day (Haiti)
• Berchtold's Day (Switzerland)
• Christian feast day:
  • Basil the Great (Catholic Church and Church of England)
  • Gregory of Nazianzus (Catholic Church)
  • Macarius of Alexandria
  • Seraphim of Sarov (Eastern Orthodox Church)
  • Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah (Episcopal Church)
  • January 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Kaapse Klopse (Cape Town, South Africa)
• The first day of Blacks and Whites' Carnival, celebrated until January 7 (Colombia)
• The ninth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)

See also

In Spanish: 2 de enero para niños