What happend on 1st January

31.12
02.01
1901

The British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia federate as the Commonwealth of Australia; Edmund Barton becomes first Prime Minister.

1901

Nigeria becomes a British protectorate.

1899

Spanish rule ends in Cuba.

1898

New York City annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York. The four initial boroughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, are joined on January 25th by Staten Island to create the modern city of five boroughs.

1894

The Manchester Ship Canal, England, was officially opened to traffic.

1893

Japan begins using the Gregorian calendar.

1892

Ellis Island opens to begin accepting immigrants to the United States.

1887

Queen Victoria was proclaimed empress of India in Delhi.

1880

Ferdinand de Lesseps begins French construction of the Panama Canal.

1869

Sigma Nu fraternity is officially founded at the Virginia Military Institute