America’s 37th president, Richard Milhous Nixon was born into a poor Quaker family in Yorba Linda, California, on January 9, 1913. Largely remembered for the Watergate scandal and his resignation, he was considered an effective leader by many prior to his fall from grace.
On January 6, 1912, New Mexico became the 47th state admitted to the Union.
On January 5, 1933, America’s 30th President, Calvin Coolidge, died suddenly of a heart attack. He’d led the nation through the notable economic growth of the Roaring Twenties.
On January 4, 1754, King’s College (later Columbia University) was founded in New York. It’s the oldest university in New York and the fifth oldest in the US.
On January 3, 1959, Alaska was made a state. It was the first new state added to the Union in 46 years.
On January 2, 1952, the US Post Office Department issued a commemorative stamp honoring Betsy Ross, one day after her 200th birthday. The stamp pictures Ross presenting the flag to George Washington and the Flag Committee.
Paul Revere was born on January 1, 1735, according to the modern calendar in the North End of Boston. In 1775, he went on a famous ride to warn of the arrival of British troops. After the war, he earned a name for himself as a silversmith.
Alfred Emanuel Smith was born on December 30, 1873, in New York City, New York. Smith was a major figure in New York politics, serving as the state’s governor for eight years.
On December 23, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act, establishing America’s current central banking system. Commonly known as the “Fed,” this independent governmental agency manages the country’s supply of money and credit.