January 26 ...

In 1788 the first European settlers in Australia, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, landed in what became known as Sydney. The group had first settled at Botany Bay eight days before. This day is celebrated as Australia Day. In 1802 Congress passed an act calling for a library to be established within the US Capitol. In 1837 Michigan became the 26th state. In 1841 Britain formally occupied Hong Kong, which the Chinese had ceded to the British. In 1861 Louisiana became the 6th state to secede from the Union. In 1870 the state of Virginia rejoined the Union. In 1880 Douglas MacArthur was born in Little Rock, AR. In 1932 William K. Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, died; he also made gum. In 1942 the first American forces to arrive in Europe during World War II went ashore in Northern Ireland. In 1945 Soviet forces liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp. In 1964 The Beatles' hit, I Want To Hold Your Hand, went to No. 1 on the US charts. In 1978 Einstein's theory of relativity was officially reinstated in China. In 1986 the Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in the NFL Championship Game; it was the team's ninth world championship. In 1993 Vaclav Havel became the first president of the new Czech Republic. In 2005 Condoleezza Rice was sworn in as US Secretary of State, becoming the first African American woman to hold the post.