Stuff that Happened on January 1st

Greece was admitted to the European Union, in 1981; but, still had to sit at the kid’s table with Cyprus and the Netherlands.

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In 1971, the broadcasting of cigarette ads was outlawed which was probably a good idea overall; but, commercials looked looked a lot less cool after that.

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Queen Victoria was proclaimed, “Empress of India” in 1877. This was done partly to create a symbolic position to emphasize that India was a conquered nation; but, mostly just to pad out Victoria’s resume.

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Saint Telemachus tried to stop a gladiatorial fight in a Roman amphitheatre, and was stoned to death by the crowd. This act of piousness impressed the Christian Emperor Honorius so much that he decides to have a saint stoned at all the gladiatorial fights.

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In 32 B.C.E, the Roman Senate proclaimed Julius Caesar to be a god. They proclaimed him a god posthumously, which seems to fly in the face of all logic.

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The Greek Constitution of 1822 was adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus on January first. A few weeks later, after a protracted argument about curfew, the Greek Constitution blurted out to the First National Assembly at Epidaurus, “You can’t tell me what to do! You aren’t my REAL mom and dad!”…

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In 1788, the first edition of the London Times was published and there was an angry letter condemning it in the editorial page the very next day.

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The Southern Nigeria Protectorate was established in 1901 by the United Kingdom, protecting Nigeria from all invaders except for the United Kingdom.

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In 1979, normal diplomatic relations were established between the People’s Republic of China and the United States. What are “normal” diplomatic relationships? Anger, mistrust, a few bombings and the odd plane being shot down.

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In 1651, Charles II was crowned King of Scotland. He also thought he was King of France… so… take it with a grain of salt.

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The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in 1863, allowing African Americans to work as sharecroppers, flee lynch mobs, abstain from voting out of fear of physical violence and to be arrested at will. Historians call this hundred year era, “Slavery lite”…