Historical Events on January 3
- 1777: British General Lord Cornwallis is beaten by American General George Washinton at the Battle of Princeton.
- 1815: To defend themselves against Russia and Prussia, Austria, the U.K and France form a secret alliance.
- 1823: Mexico grants Stephen Austin a land grant in Texas.
- 1861: Delaware votes against secession from the U.S.
- 1870: Brooklyn Bridge’s construction begins on this day.
- 1925: Benito Mussolini declares himself dictator of Italy.
- 1938:S President Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes the March of Dimes.
- 1944: Japanese Captain Masajiro Kawato and his Mitsubishi A6M Zero shoots down U.S Major Greg Boyington in his Vought F4U Corsair fighter.
- 1945: In preparation of the planned assaults that are to be undertaken against Okinawa and Iwo Jima, U.S Admiral Chester W. Nimitz is placed in charge of all United States’ Naval Forces.
- 1947: For the first time in history, a session of the United States Congress is televised.
- 1956: The top portion of France’s Eiffel Tower is damaged by fire.
- 1959: Alaska becomes the 49th State of the United States.
- 1999: NASA launches the Mars Polar Lander.
- 2000: The very last daily Peanuts comic strip is published on this day.
Famous Birthdays on January 3
- English writer and poet, J.R.R. Tolkien is born in 1892.
- American actress ZaSu Pitts is born in 1894.
- American actress and comedian, Marion Davies is born in 1897.
- American actress Anna May Wong is born in 1905.
- Welsh-American actor Ray Milland is born in 1907.
- American singer Maxene Andrews is born in 1916.
- American-English poet and writer Anne Stevenson is born in 1933.
- American director and screenwriter Glen A. Larson is born in 1937.
- Canadian NHL player Bobby Hull is born in 1939.
- American-Australian actor, director, screenwriter and producer, Mel Gibson is born in 1956.
- American screenwriter Dan Harmon is born in 1973.
- American baseball player A.J. Burnett is born in 1977.
- American football player David Tyree is born in 1980.