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On this day in history - January 7

What Happened On This Day – January 7

  • 1989 Akihito is sworn in as Emperor of Japan

    His accession to the throne followed the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, on the same day.

  • 1979 The Khmer Rouge government of Cambodia is overthrown

    Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh that day.

  • 1927 The first transatlantic telephone service is established

    A 3-minute call between New York and London cost about $45 USD, which is roughly $550 in today's dollars.

  • 1785 Hot air balloon crosses the English Channel

    French inventor Jean-Pierre Blanchard took about 2½ hours to fly from Dover (UK) to Guînes (France).

  • 1610 Galileo Galilei discovers the Galilean Moons

    The Italian astronomer spotted the four largest moons of Jupiter that day: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
January 7

  • 1991 Eden Hazard

    Belgian footballer

  • 1985 Lewis Hamilton

    English race car driver

  • 1967 Nick Clegg

    English politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

  • 1964 Nicolas Cage

    American actor, producer, director

  • 1943 Sadako Sasaki

    Japanese victim of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima, Nagasaki

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
January 7

  • 1995 Murray Rothbard

    American economist, historian

  • 1989 Hirohito

    Japanese Emperor

  • 1951 René Guénon

    French/Egyptian author

  • 1943 Nikola Tesla

    Serbian/American physicist, engineer

  • 1536 Catherine of Aragon