January 7, 1999:  The first presidential impeachment trial in 130 years begins as members of the U.S. Senate are sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist to decide whether President Bill Clinton should be removed from office. House prosecutors had delivered two articles of impeachment charging Clinton with perjury and obstruction of justice.

January 8, 1982:  The U.S. telephone system becomes open to competition as the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) is broken up as a result of an antitrust suit. AT&T gives up 22 local Bell system companies.

January 10, 1863:  The world’s first underground railway service opens in London, the Metropolitan Line between Paddington and Farringdon.

January 10, 1878:  A constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote is introduced in Congress by Senator A.A. Sargent of California. The amendment didn’t pass until 1920–42 years later.

January 10, 1920:  The League of Nations officially comes into existence with the goal of resolving international disputes, reducing armaments, and preventing future wars. The first Assembly gathered in Geneva 10 months later with 41 nations represented. More than 20 other nations later joined; however, this did not include the United States, due to a lack of support for the League in Congress.

January 10, 1946:  The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly takes place in London with delegates from 51 countries. 

January 11, 1964:  The U.S. Surgeon General declares cigarettes may be hazardous to health, the first such official government report.

January 13, 1990:  Douglas Wilder of Virginia becomes the first African American governor in the United States as he takes the oath of office in Richmond.

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