TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2026

1649-The English Rump Parliament votes to put Charles I on trial for treason and other "high crimes"

1838-Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail demonstrate their telegraph machine in New Jersey

1912-Geophysicist and meteorologist Alfred Wegener presents his controversial theory of continental drift in a lecture at the Geological Association at the Senckenberg-Museum, Frankfurt

1941-U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt delivers his "Four Freedoms" speech (freedom of speech and worship; freedom from want and fear) during his US State of the Union address

1971-Berkeley chemists announces first synthetic growth hormones

1987-Astronomers at the University of California witness the first sight of the birth of a galaxy

2021-Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington during the congressional certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's win, resulting in five deaths and prompting evacuation of lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence