January 20

Sunday 20, 2002:

Inauguration of Churches Uniting in Christ.

Saturday 20, 2001:

Philippine president Joseph Estrada is ousted in the EDSA II Revolution, succeeded by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Wednesday 20, 1999:

The China News Service announces new government restrictions on Internet use aimed especially at Internet bars.

Saturday 20, 1996:

Yasser Arafat is elected president of the Palestinian Authority.

Thursday 20, 1994:

In South Carolina, Shannon Faulkner becomes the first female cadet to attend The Citadel but soon drops out.

Sunday 20, 1991:

Sudan's government imposes Islamic law nationwide, worsening the civil war between the country's Muslim north and Christian south.

Saturday 20, 1990:

bloody crackdown of Azeri protest demonstrations by Soviet army in Baku.

Tuesday 20, 1987:

Church of England envoy Terry Waite is kidnapped in Lebanon.

Monday 20, 1986:

The United Kingdom and France announce plans to construct the Channel Tunnel.

Tuesday 20, 1981:

Iran releases 52 American hostages bare minutes after Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as U.S. president.

Monday 20, 1975:

Michael Ovitz founds Creative Artists Agency.

Monday 20, 1969:

The first pulsar is discovered, in the Crab Nebula.

Monday 20, 1964:

Meet the Beatles, the first Beatles album in the United States, is released.

Friday 20, 1961:

John F. Kennedy is inaugrated as a U.S president.

Monday 20, 1958:

Elvis Presley receives his draft notice.

Wednesday 20, 1954:

The National Negro Network is established with 40 charter member radio stations.

Sunday 20, 1952:

Edgar Faure becomes Prime Minister of France.

Saturday 20, 1945:

Hungary drops out of the Second World War, agreeing an armistice with the Allies.

Thursday 20, 1944:

World War II: The Royal Air Force drops 2,300 tons of bombs on Berlin.

Tuesday 20, 1942:

World War II: Nazis at the Wannsee conference in Berlin decide the "final solution to the Jewish problem".

Wednesday 20, 1937:

Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated for a second term as President of the United States. This is the first inauguration scheduled on January 20, following adoption of the 20th Amendment. Previous inaugurations were scheduled on March 4.

Monday 20, 1936:

Edward VIII becomes King of the United Kingdom.

Sunday 20, 1929:

The movie In Old Arizona was released. The film was the first full-length talking film to be filmed outdoors.

Thursday 20, 1921:

The first constitution of Turkey was adopted, which made fundamental change in the source and exercise of sovereignty.

Wednesday 20, 1892:

At the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, the first official basketball game is played.

Tuesday 20, 1891:

James Hogg becomes the first native Texan to be governor of that state.

Thursday 20, 1887:

The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base.

Tuesday 20, 1885:

L.A. Thompson patents the roller coaster.

Monday 20, 1840:

Willem II becomes King of the Netherlands.

Sunday 20, 1839:

In the Battle of Yungay, Chile defeats a Peruvian and Bolivian alliance.

Tuesday 20, 1801:

John Marshall is appointed Chief Justice of the United States.

Monday 20, 1783:

Britain signs a peace treaty with France and Spain, officially ending hostilities in the Revolutionary War.

Thursday 20, 1667:

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and left-bank Ukraine to Imperial Russia in the treaty of Andrusiv.

Saturday 20, 1523:

Christian II was forced to abdicate as King of Denmark and Norway.

Tuesday 20, 1356:

Edward Balliol resigns as King of Scotland.

Saturday 20, 1320:

Duke Wladyslaw Lokietek becomes king of Poland.

Tuesday 20, 1265:

In Westminster, the first English parliament conducts its first meeting in the Palace of Westminster, now also known as the Houses of Parliament.

Friday 20, 1156:

According to legend, freeholder Lalli slays English crusader Bishop Henry with an axe on the ice of the lake Köyliönjärvi in Finland.

More on January, 20

• People Born on January, 20
• They left us on January, 20