What Happened on January 6?
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events
births
deaths
holidays
EVENTS ON JANUARY 6
Explore the most important historical events that happened on January 6, featuring key moments that shaped the world.
Musikverein
Year:
1870
The inauguration of the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria.
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Second Boer War
Year:
1900
Second Boer War: Having already besieged the fortress at Ladysmith, Boer forces attack it, but are driven back by British defenders.
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Samuel Colt
Year:
1847
Samuel Colt obtains his first contract for the sale of revolver pistols to the United States government.
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Alfred Vail
Year:
1838
Alfred Vail and colleagues demonstrate a telegraph system using dots and dashes (this is the forerunner of Morse code).
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Portuguese conquest of French Guiana
Year:
1809
Combined British, Portuguese and colonial Brazilian forces begin the Invasion of Cayenne during the Napoleonic Wars.
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Maria Montessori
Year:
1907
Maria Montessori opens her first school and daycare center for working class children in Rome, Italy.
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Geophysics
Year:
1912
German geophysicist Alfred Wegener first presents his theory of continental drift.
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Clessie Cummins
Year:
1930
Clessie Cummins arrives at the National Automobile Show in New York City, having driven a car powered by one of his diesel engines from Indianapolis.
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BIRTHS ON JANUARY 6
Discover famous people and historical figures born on January 6, including leaders, artists, scientists, and cultural icons.
John Maynard Smith
Year of birth:
1920
John Maynard Smith, English biologist and geneticist (died 2004)
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Henry Corden
Year of birth:
1920
Henry Corden, Canadian-born American actor (died 2005)
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Sun Myung Moon
Year of birth:
1920
Sun Myung Moon, Korean religious leader; founder of the Unification Church (died 2012)
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Early Wynn
Year of birth:
1920
Early Wynn, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster (died 1999)
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Koo Chen-fu
Year of birth:
1917
Koo Chen-fu, Taiwanese businessman and diplomat (died 2005)
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Cary Middlecoff
Year of birth:
1921
Cary Middlecoff, American golfer and sportscaster (died 1998)
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Marianne Grunberg-Manago
Year of birth:
1921
Marianne Grunberg-Manago, Russian-French biochemist and academic (died 2013)
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Earl Scruggs
Year of birth:
1924
Earl Scruggs, American banjo player (died 2012)
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DEATHS ON JANUARY 6
Look back at notable individuals who passed away on January 6, and learn about their lasting influences on history.
Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack
Year of death:
1917
Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack, Dutch economist and historian (born 1834)
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Georg Cantor
Year of death:
1918
Georg Cantor, German mathematician and philosopher (born 1845)
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Theodore Roosevelt
Year of death:
1919
Theodore Roosevelt, American colonel and politician, 26th President of the United States (born 1858)
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Devil Anse Hatfield
Year of death:
1921
Devil Anse Hatfield, American guerrilla leader (born 1839)
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Lars Hertervig
Year of death:
1902
Lars Hertervig, Norwegian painter (born 1830)
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Bharatendu Harishchandra
Year of death:
1885
Bharatendu Harishchandra, Indian author, poet, and playwright (born 1850)
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Louis Braille
Year of death:
1852
Louis Braille, French educator, invented Braille (born 1809)
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Giacomo Beltrami
Year of death:
1855
Giacomo Beltrami, Italian jurist, explorer, and author (born 1779)
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HOLIDAYS ON JANUARY 6
See which holidays, observances, and special celebrations take place on January 6 around the world.
Christmas in Ukraine
Christmas: Christmas Eve (Ukraine)
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Christmas in Iceland
Epiphany or Three Kings' Day (Western Christianity) or Theophany (Eastern Christianity), and its related observances: Þrettándinn (Iceland)
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André Bessette
Christian Feast day: André Bessette (Roman Catholic Church)
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Christmas in Russia
Christmas: Christmas Eve (Russia)
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Christmas
Christmas: Christmas (Armenian Apostolic Church)
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January 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian Feast day: January 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
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Little Christmas
Epiphany or Three Kings' Day (Western Christianity) or Theophany (Eastern Christianity), and its related observances: Little Christmas (Ireland)
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