January 19: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

After more than a year of bloody conflict, Israel and Hamas entered into a ceasefire in Gaza.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly incursion into Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 captives. In response, Israeli operations in Gaza led to 46,870 fatalities and the displacement of most of its 2.3 million residents. The ceasefire terms required Hamas to release all Israeli hostages, Israel to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

Jacinda Arden resigned as the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The Labour Party leader served from 2017 to 2023, during which time she became one of New Zealand's most influential leaders since World War II.

Earth-like calcium-rich deposits were found on Mars by NASA’s Curiosity Rover.

Production of the Pixar film Toy Story began.

The film was Pixar Animation Studios' first full-length feature film, as well as the first Pixar-Disney collaboration.

Apple released the first computer with a graphical user interface (GUI) called the Lisa.

Miami, Florida, received snow for the first and last time ever.

The temperature dipped below 30°F on this day. A temperature that is rarely seen by the area.

The Beatles song “Helter Skelter” was played in court as evidence for Charles Manson’s trial.

Indira Gandhi was elected as India’s fourth Prime Minister.

The popular board game Scrabble went on sale in the UK.

The word-finding board game was created 17 years prior and initially only for sale in the US.

Coopers Inc. started selling the world’s first men’s briefs in Chicago.

All 600 pairs of Jockey shorts, as they were known at the time, sold out on the first day. They were so popular that 30,000 pairs were sold across the US over the following three months.

Thomas Edison’s first overhead electric lighting system began service in Roselle, New Jersey.

The system was part of an experiment to prove that an entire community could be lit up by electricity from a central generating station.

The state of Georgia seceded from the United States of America.

Georgia was the fifth state to secede, following South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Shortly afterward, Georgia became one of the founding states of the Confederate States of America.

The Batavian Republic was proclaimed, replacing the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands.

Richard Crosbie became the first Irish man to fly a hot air balloon in Ireland.

The construction for the San Agustin Church in Manila was officially completed.

It is the oldest stone church still standing in the Philippines.