This Day in History: January

Look back in time and examine the amazing events that happened on this day in history and which helped shape the world as we know it.

Course No. 90043

This collection of historical moments reveals pivotal January events that changed literature, politics, and global history – from ancient empires to modern cinema. Each concise lecture brings a different day to life through expert analysis and storytelling.

Video Lessons

01: January 11, 49 BC – Caesar Crosses the Rubicon (7 min)

Julius Caesar’s fateful decision that ended the Roman Republic and began the Empire.

02: January 15, 1929 – MLK Jr. Born (8 min)

The birth of America’s civil rights icon and his connection to activist Ida B. Wells.

03: January 15, 1559 – Elizabeth I Crowned (8 min)

How the Virgin Queen transformed England during its golden age.

04: January 19, 1809 – Edgar Allan Poe Born (9 min)

The life and lasting influence of the master of macabre literature.

05: January 6, 1066 – Harold Godwinson Seizes Throne (8 min)

Professor Jennifer Paxton analyzes this controversial coronation that changed English history.

06: January 13, 532 – Nika Riots in Constantinople (5 min)

Professor Joyce Salisbury recounts the deadly uprising that nearly toppled Emperor Justinian.

07: January 20, 1945 – FDR’s Fourth Term Begins (5 min)

The final days of America’s longest-serving president during WWII.

08: January 10, 1776 – “Common Sense” Published (8 min)

How Thomas Paine’s pamphlet ignited the American Revolution.

09: January 23, 1943 – “Casablanca” Released (4 min)

Professor Angus Fletcher explores why this film became an enduring classic.

10: January 1, 1818 – “Frankenstein” Published (6 min)

Mary Shelley’s teenage creation that became a global cultural phenomenon.

11: January 23, 1368 – Ming Dynasty Founded (9 min)

China’s conservative empire that emerged after Mongol rule.