On this day in 2008, Barack Obama is sworn in as President of the US

On this day in 1966, Indira Gandhi became the first female Prime Minister of India

On this day in 1871, the German Empire was established

On this day in 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown

On this day in 1991, the Persian Gulf War began

On this day in 1759, the British Museum opened to the public

On this day in 1900, Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca premieres

On this day in 1898, French author Émile Zola published “J'accuse”

On this day in 2010, Haiti was devastated by a magnitude-7.0 earthquake

On this day in 1935, Amelia Earhart successfully completed her flight from Hawaii to California

On this day in 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense

On this day in 1431, the trial of Joan of Arc begun.

On this day in 1997, Monaco celebrated the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi rule

On this day in 1610, Galileo discovered Jupiter's four rings

On this day, Epiphany, also known as Theophany, is celebrated by Christians worldwide

On this day in 1933 construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco began

On this day in 1948, Myanmar - then known as Burma - gained its independence

On this day in 1521, Martin Luther was excommunicated by the Pope

On this day in 1492, Granada was reclaimed by Spain marking the end of the Reconquista

On this day in 2002, the Euro was introduced in Europe