January 2
January 2
Georgia enters the Union
Georgia votes to ratify the U.S. Constitution, becoming the fourth state in the modern United States. Named after King George II, Georgia was first settled by Europeans in 1733, when…
A Year In History: 1788
This Year in History:
1788
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
January 22
January 22
English poet Lord Byron is born
Romantic poet George Gordon, Lord Byron, is born this day in Aberdeen, Scotland. Despite his later fortune and title, Byron grew up in poverty and was burdened by a clubfoot.…
January 26
January 26
This Day in History Video: What Happened on January 26
Australia Day celebrates the founding of Australia led by Captain Arthur Phillip, the curtain goes up on the Phantom of the Opera and Condoleezza Rice is named the first woman…
January 26
January 26
British settlement begins in Australia
On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip guides a fleet of 11 British ships carrying convicts to the colony of New South Wales, effectively founding Australia. After overcoming a period…
June 11
June 11
Russian explorer Izmailov arrives at Yakutat Bay, Alaska
Searching for sea otter pelts and other furs, the Russian explorer Gerasim Grigoriev Izmailov reaches the Alaskan coast, setting his ship in at Yakutat Bay. Although most Americans think of…
June 21
June 21
U.S. Constitution ratified
June 21, 1788: New Hampshire becomes the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, thereby making the document the law of the land. By 1786,…
