TODAY IN HISTORY
the seventh day of 2019. There are 358 days left in the year. On this date in 1999, for the second time in history, an impeached American president went on trial before the Senate. President Bill Clinton faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; he was acquitted.
America held its first presidential election as voters chose electors who, a month later, selected George Washington to be the nation’s first chief executive.
the Marconi International Marine Communication Company of London announced that the telegraphed letters “CQD” would serve as a maritime distress call. “SOS” would later replace it.
commercial transatlantic telephone service was inaugurated between New York and London.
Japanese forces began besieging American and Filipino troops in Bataan during World War II. The fall of Bataan three months later was followed by the notorious Death March.
President Truman announced in his State of the Union message to Congress that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb. Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, overthrowing the Khmer Rouge government.
President George W. Bush proposed legal status, at least temporarily, for millions of immigrants improperly working in the U.S.
masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French newspaper that had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, methodically killing 12 people before escaping. Two suspects were killed two days later. Actor Rod Taylor 82, died in Los Angeles.
Singer Kenny Loggins is 71. Singer-songwriter Marshall Chapman is 70. Actress Erin Gray is 69. Actress Jodi Long is 65. Actor David Caruso is 63. Talk show host Katie Couric is 62. Actor David Marciano is 59. Actress Hallie Todd is 57. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is 56. Actor Nicolas Cage is 55. Actor Rex Lee is 50. Actor Doug E. Doug is 49. Country singermusician John Rich is 45. Actor Dustin Diamond is 42. Actor Reggie Austin is 40. Actress Lauren Cohan is 37. Actors Brett Dalton and Robert Ri’chard are 36. Actress Lyndsy Fonseca is 32. Actor Liam Aiken and actress Camryn Grimes are 29. Actor Max Morrow is 28. Actor Marcus Scribner is 19.