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1974

1974

1974 (MCMLXXIV) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar).

Events

January-February


- January 5 - Dungeons & Dragons officially released.
- January 6 - In response to the energy crisis, daylight saving time commences nearly four months early in the United States.
- January 30 - G. Gordon Liddy found guilty of Watergate charges
- February 1 - Fire in Joelman Bank Building in Sao Paulo, Brazil - 177 dead, 293 injured
- February 1 - The Joelma Fire kills 188 in São Paulo.
- February 3 - Prisoners riot in the Bathurst Jail Riots, destroying much of the jail.
- February 4 - Symbionese Liberation Army kidnaps Patricia Hearst, the 19 year old granddaughter of publisher William Randolph Hearst
- February 8 - After 84 days in space, the crew of the temporary American space station, Skylab, return to Earth.
- February 12 - US District Court Judge George Boldt rules that Native American tribes in Washington State are entitled to half of the legal salmon and steelhead catches, based on treaties signed by the tribes and the US government.
- February 13 - Nobel Prize winning writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn is expelled from the Soviet Union (he returns May 27 1994)
- February 17 - Soccer stampede in Cairo - 49 dead
- February 20 - Following a visit to his home from a woman wearing a strange pendant, Phillip K Dick begins to receive a series of visions which he refers to as 2-3-74, shorthand for February/March of 1974.
- February 23 - The Symbionese Liberation Army demand $4 million more to release kidnap victim Patty Hearst.
- February 27 - People magazine is published for the first time.
- February 28 - United Kingdom general election results in an almost dead-heat. Harold Wilson becomes Prime Minister again despite his Labour Party (UK) having received fewer votes than the Conservative Party (UK).
- February 28 - Ethiopian prime minister Tsehafi Aklilu Habte-Wold, who has held the position since 1961, is dismissed by Emperor Haile Selassie and replaced with Endelkachew Makonnen.

March


- March 1 - Watergate scandal: Seven are indicted for their role in the Watergate break-in and charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice.
- March 1 - Pierre Messmer finishes his first term as Prime Minister of France.
- March 3 - A Turkish Airlines DC-10 travelling from Paris to London crashes in a wood near Paris, killing all 346 aboard.
- March 8 - Charles de Gaulle Airport opens in Paris, France.
- March 10 - Ten miners die in a methane gas explosion at Golborne Colliery near Wigan, Lancashire.
- March 10 - Japanese World War Two soldier, second lieutenant Hiroo Onoda surrenders in the Philippines
- March 18 - Oil embargo crisis: Most OPEC nations end a five-month oil embargo against the United States, Europe and Japan.
- March 20 - Ian Balls fails in his attempt to kidnap Her Royal Highness Princess Anne and her husband Captain Mark Phillips in The Mall, outside Buckingham Palace, London.
- March 29 - Mariner 10 approaches Mercury.

April-May


- April 1 - the Local Government Act 1972 comes into effect in England and Wales, creating six new metropolitan counties and comprehensively redrawing the administrative map
- April 3 - The Super Outbreak, the largest series of tornadoes in history, hits 13 U.S. states and one Canadian province. By the time the last of 148 tornadoes hit early the following morning, 315 died and over 5,000 were injured.
- April 10 - In Israel, Golda Meir resigns as Prime Minister
- April 17 - Three members of the Symbionese Liberation Army die when their apartment catches fire during a shootuot with the LAPD
- April 25 - Coup in Portugal restores democracy (see Carnation Revolution)
- April 28 - Last Americans evacuated from Saigon
- May 4 - All female Japanese team summits Manaslu and become the first women to climb an 8,000 metre peak.
- May 9 - The United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee opens formal and public impeachment hearings against President Richard M. Nixon
- May 17 - Los Angeles, California police raid Symbionese Liberation Army headquarters, killing six members, including Camilla Hall
- May 17 - Thirty-three people die in the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings in Ireland. Members of the UDR and UVF, allegedly assisted by British intelligence, are behind the blast.
- May 18 - Nuclear test: Under project Smiling Buddha, India successfully detonates its first nuclear weapon becoming the sixth nation to do so.
- May 18 - Completition of Warsaw radio mast. The Warsaw radio mast was the tallest construction ever built. It collapsed on August 8, 1991
- May 19 - In the second round of the presidential elections in France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing wins from François Mitterrand, but by a close margin.

June


- June 1 - Flixborough disaster: An explosion at a chemical plant in Flixborough, UK kills 28 people
- June 6 - A new Instrument of Government is promulgated making Sweden a parliamentary monarchy
- June 15 - The Red Lion Square disorders
- June 16 - First Darwin beer-can boat regatta in Darwin, Australia - 63 crafts made of beer cans participate
- June 17 - A bomb explodes at the Houses of Parliament in London damaging Westminster Hall. The bomb had been planted by the Irish Republican Army
- June 24 - The UPC label is used for the first time to ring up purchases at a supermarket.
- June 29 - Isabel Peron becomes interim president of Argentina when Juan Peron falls seriously ill
- June 30 - Assassination of Alberta Williams King, mother of the late Martin Luther King, Jr., during a church service

July


- July 7 - West Germany defeats Netherlands 2-1 to win the Football World Cup 1974.
- July 14 - Christine Chubbuck, US television presenter for WXLT-TV, draws a revolver and shoots herself in the head during a live broadcast. She dies in a hospital 14 hours later.
- July 15 - Military coup overthrows President Makarios in Cyprus
- July 17- A bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army explodes in the White Tower at the Tower of London, killing one person and injuring 41. Another bomb explodes outside a government building in South London.
- July 20 - Turkish occupation of Cyprus: Forces from Turkey invade Cyprus after Greek Cypriots' attempt at enosis.
- July 22 - Ethiopian Prime Minister Endelkachew Makonnen is replaced with Mikael Imru.
- July 23 - Greek military government collapses
- July 24 - Watergate Scandal: The United States Supreme Court unanimously rules that President Richard Nixon did not have the authority to withhold subpoenaed White House tapes and they order him to surrender the tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor
- July 27-July 30 - Watergate Scandal: The House of Representatives Judiciary Committee adopts three articles of impeachment charging President Richard M. Nixon with obstruction of justice, failure to uphold laws, and refusal to produce material subpoenaed by the committee.

August-October


- August 3 - Former Scottish Works team Ferranti Thistle joins the Profesional Scottish Leagues and changes its name to Meadowbank Thistle Football Club.
- August 4 - Bomb explodes in Italicus Expressen train between Italy and West Germany. Italian neo-fascist terrorists take responsibility
- August 8 - Watergate scandal: US President Richard Nixon announces his resignation (effective August 9)
- August 9 - Richard Nixon becomes the first President of the United States to resign from office, an action taken to avoid being removed by impeachment in response to his role in the Watergate scandal. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, takes the oath of office and becomes the 38th president
- September 8 - Watergate Scandal: US President Gerald Ford pardons former President Richard Nixon for any crimes Nixon may have committed while in office.
- September 8 - TWA Flight 841 crashes into the Ionian sea, 18 minutes after take off from Athens, by a bomb exlosion in the cargo hold killing 88 people.
- September 13 - Japanese Red Army members seize the French Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands. They secure the release of member Yatuka Fumiya, $300.000 and a flight to Aden
- September 23 - Ceefax is started by the BBC - one of the first public service information systems
- October 5 - The Guildford Pub Bombings at The Horse and Groom and The Seven Stars kill 5 people, lead to the wrongful conviction and imprisonment of the Guildford Four the next year
- October 10 - the second United Kingdom general election of the year results in a narrow victory for Labour, still led by Harold Wilson.

November


- November 7 - Lord Lucan disappears
- November 7 - An IRA bomb explodes at the Kings Arms, Woolwich
- November 8 - In Salt Lake City, Utah, Carol DaRonch narrowly escapes abduction by serial killer Ted Bundy
- November 10 - Members of the Movement 2 June try to kidnap Günter von Drenkmann, the president of West Germany's Superior Court of Justice, at his home but he is fatally shot during the attempt
- November 14 - Ronald Defeo, Jr. murders his parents four siblings in what would later become known as "The Amityville Horror House"
- November 16 - Arecibo radio telescope sends an interstellar radio message towards M 13 great globular cluster
- November 17 - Irish President Childers dies suddenly of a heart attack in the Republic of Ireland in the middle of a public speech
- November 20 - The United States Department of Justice files its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. This suit later leads to the break up of AT&T and the Bell System.
- November 21 - In Birmingham, England, two pubs are bombed, killing 21 people (the Birmingham Six were later sentenced to life in prison for this)
- November 21 - George W. Bush is discharged from the US Air Force Reserve
- November 22 - The United Nations General Assembly grants the Palestine Liberation Organization observer status.
- November 24 - A skeleton from the hominid Australopithecus afarensis is discovered and named Lucy.
- November 27 - The Prevention of Terrorism Act is passed in the United Kingdom

December


- December 1 - A Boeing 727 carrying TWA Flight 514 crashes 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Dulles International Airport during bad weather, killing all 92 people on-board
- December 8 - Greek voters reject a proposal to restore the Greek monarchy.
- December 19 - Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh becomes the fifth President of Ireland, in a state inauguration in Dublin Castle
- December 23 - Former British ex-minister John Stonehouse, who faked his drowning in Florida, is arrested in Melbourne, Australia
- December 24-December 25 - Darwin, Australia almost completely destroyed by Cyclone Tracy

Unknown date


- The Milgram experiment first described by Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram in his 1974 book Obedience to Authority; An Experimental View.
- Baltimore police strike
- Volkswagen's Golf automobile first enters production. VW will go on to sell 22 million Golfs, and the model is still very popular today.

Births

January-February


- January 2 - Tricia Helfer, Canadian actress and model
- January 11 - The Rosenkowitz sextuplets (Cape Town, South Africa), the first sextuplets known to survive their infancy.
- January 12 - Tor Arne Hetland, Norwegian cross-country skiier
- January 16 - Kate Moss, English model
- January 17 - Ladan and Laleh Bijani, Iranian conjoined twins (d. 2003)
- January 23 - Tiffani Thiessen, American actress
- January 27 - Chaminda Vaas, Sri Lankan cricketer
- January 28 - Tony Delk, American basketball player
- January 30 - Christian Bale, Welsh actor
- January 31 - Ian Huntley, English murderer
- February 7 - Steve Nash, Canadian basketball player
- February 8 - Seth Green, American actor
- February 11 - D'Angelo, American singer
- February 13 - Robbie Williams, English singer
- February 15 - Seattle Slew, American racehorse (d. 2002)
- February 15 - Ugueth Urbina, Venezuelan Major League Baseball player
- February 24 - Chad Hugo, American musician and producer (The Neptunes)

March-April


- March 1 - Mark-Paul Gosselaar, American actor
- March 5 - Jens Jeremies, German footballer
- March 7 - Alberto Rabagliati, Italian singer and actor
- March 11 - Bobby Abreu, Venezuelan Major League Baseball player
- March 11 - Russ Haas, American wrestler (d. 2001)
- March 20 - Paula Garces, Colombian actress
- March 20 - Andrzej Pilipiuk, Polish writer
- March 20 - Carsten Ramelow, German footballer
- March 22 - Marcus Camby, American basketball player
- March 24 - Alyson Hannigan, American actress
- March 25 - Lark Voorhies, American actress
- April 4 - Dave Mirra, American athlete
- April 9 - Jenna Jameson, American actress
- April 11 - Trot Nixon, baseball player
- April 14 - Da Brat, American rapper
- April 15 - Josh Todd, musician and singer (Buckcherry)
- April 17 - Victoria Beckham, English singer (Spice Girls)
- April 22 - Shavo Odadjian, Armenian-born bassist (System of a Down)
- April 28 - Penélope Cruz, Spanish actress
- April 28 - Richel Hersisia, Dutch boxer

May-July


- May 8 - Korey Stringer, American football player (d. 2001)
- May 17 - Andrea Corr, Irish singer (The Corrs)
- May 23 - Ken Jennings, American long-time winner on Jeopardy!
- May 23 - Jewel, American singer
- May 23 - Monica Naranjo, Spanish singer
- May 24 - Ruslana, Ukrainian singer
- May 26 - Lars Frölander, Swedish swimmer
- May 27 - Danny Wuerffel, American football player
- June 1 - Alanis Morissette, Canadian singer
- June 2 - Gata Kamsky, American chess player
- June 7 - Mahesh Bhupathi, Indian tennis player
- June 10 - James Spix, American author
- June 12 - Hideki Matsui, Japanese baseball player
- June 13 - Brande Roderick, American actress
- June 25 - Karisma Kapoor, Indian actress
- June 26 - Derek Jeter, baseball player
- July 2 - Matthew Reilly, Australian writer
- July 4 - La'Roi Glover, American football player
- July 19 - Preston Wilson, baseball player
- July 22 - Daddy Kev, American record producer
- July 23 - Maurice Greene, American athlete
- July 27 - Eason Chan, Hong Kong singer
- July 31 - Emilia Fox, English actress
- July 31 - Jonathan Ogden, American football player

August-October


- August 2 - Jeremy Castle, American singer and songwriter
- August 5 - Kajol Devgan, Indian actress
- August 9 - Matt Morris, baseball player
- August 15 - Natasha Henstridge, Canadian actress and model
- August 20 - Maxim Vengerov, Russian violinist
- August 23 - Ray Park, Scottish actor
- August 24 - Jennifer Lien, American actress
- August 27 - Jose Vidro, baseball player
- September 2 - Lisa Snowdon, English television presenter
- September 6 - Tim Henman, English tennis player
- September 10 - Ben Wallace, American basketball player
- September 14 - Hicham El Guerrouj, Moroccan athlete
- September 17 - Rasheed Wallace, American basketball player
- September 19 - Jimmy Fallon, American actor and comedian
- September 23 - Matt Hardy, American Professional Wrestler
- October 7 - Allison Munn, American actress
- October 10 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., American race car driver
- October 11 - Terje Haakonsen, Norwegian snowboarder
- October 16 - Paul Kariya, Canadian hockey player
- October 21 - Lera Auerbach, Russian composer, pianist, and poet
- October 23 - Sander Westerveld, Dutch soccer player
- October 29 - Michael Vaughan, English cricketer

November-December


- November 1 - VVS Laxman, Indian cricketer
- November 4 - Louise Redknapp, English singer
- November 5 - Ryan Adams, American singer and songwriter
- November 5 - Jerry Stackhouse, American basketball player
- November 9 - Uncle Kracker, American singer
- November 11 - Leonardo DiCaprio, American actor
- November 11 - Bettina Goislard, French UN worker (d. 2003)
- November 22 - Ken Mondschein, American writer
- November 22 - David Pelletier, Canadian figure skater
- November 23 - Jamie Sharper, American football player
- November 27 - Zsófia Polgár, Hungarian-born chess player
- December 1 - Costinha, Portuguese footballer
- December 7 - Nicole Appleton, Canadian singer (All Saints)
- December 13 - Nicholas McCarthy, English-born guitarist (Franz Ferdinand (band))
- December 14 - Billy Koch, baseball player
- December 18 - Peter Boulware, American football player
- December 19 - Jake Plummer, American football player
- December 21 - Karrie Webb, Australian golfer
- December 24 - Ryan Seacrest, American television host
- December 29 - Jenny Barker, British radio presenter
- December 29 - Richie Sexson, baseball player

Unknown date


- Ziad Jarrah, Lebanese hijacker (d. 2001)

Deaths

January-July


- January 2 - Tex Ritter, American actor and singer (b. 1905)
- January 12 - Princess Patricia of Connaught (b. 1886)
- January 31 - Samuel Goldwyn, Polish-born film studio executive (b. 1879)
- February 11 - Anna Q Nilsson, Swedish actress (b. 1888)
- February 15 - Kurt Atterberg, Swedish composer (b. 1887)
- February 21 - Tim Horton, Canadian hockey player (b. 1930)
- February 23 - Harry Ruby, American composer and writer (b. 1895)
- March 1 - Bobby Timmons, American jazz pianist (b. 1935)
- March 5 - Sol Hurok, Russian-born impresario (b. 1888)
- March 6 - Ernest Becker, American cultural anthropologist
- March 9 - Earl Wilbur Sutherland Jr., American physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1915)
- March 20 - Chet Huntley, American television journalist (b. 1911)
- April 2 - Georges Pompidou, President of France (b. 1911)
- April 15 - Giovanni D'Anzi, Italian songwriter (b. 1906)
- April 19 - Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan (b. 1907)
- April 24 - Bud Abbott, American actor (b. 1897)
- May 24 - Duke Ellington, American jazz pianist and bandleader (b. 1899)
- June 9 - Miguel Angel Asturias, Guatemalan writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1890)
- June 10 - Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, Governor-General of Australia (b. 1900)
- June 22 - Darius Milhaud, French composer (b. 1892)
- June 28 - Frank Sutton, American actor (b. 1923)
- July 1 - Juan Domingo Perón, President of Argentina (b. 1895)
- July 9 - Earl Warren, Governor of California and Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (b. 1891)
- July 11 - Pär Lagerkvist, Swedish writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)
- July 13 - Patrick Blackett, English physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1897)
- July 24 - James Chadwick, English physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)

August-December


- August 6 - Gene Ammons, American jazz saxophonist (b. 1925)
- September 3 - Harry Partch, American composer (b. 1901)
- September 4 - Creighton Williams Abrams, American general (b. 1914)
- September 4 - Marcel Achard, French playwright and scriptwriter (b. 1899)
- September 14 - Warren Hull, American actor (b. 1903)
- October 6 - V.K. Krishna Menon, Indian freedom fighter and politician (b. 1897)
- October 24 - David Oistrakh, Ukrainian violinist (b. 1908)
- November 11 - Alfonso Leng, Chilean composer (b. 1894)
- November 13 - Vittorio De Sica, Italian film director (b. 1901)
- November 17 - Erskine Hamilton Childers, fourth President of Ireland (b. 1905)
- November 19 - George Brunies, American musician (b. 1902)
- November 21 - John B. Gambling, American radio talk-show host (b. 1897)
- November 21 - Frank Martin, Swiss composer (b. 1890)
- November 24 - Nick Drake, British musician (b. 1948)
- November 24 - Endelkachew Makonnen, Ethiopian politician (b. 1927)
- November 29 - Peng Dehuai, Chinese leader (b. 1898)
- December 2 - Max Weber, Swiss Federal Councilor (b. 1897)
- December 18 - Harry Hooper, baseball player (b. 1887)
- December 20 - André Jolivet, French composer (b. 1905)

Nobel Prizes


- Physics - Sir Martin Ryle, Antony Hewish
- Chemistry - Paul J. Flory
- Medicine - Albert Claude, Christian de Duve, George E. Palade
- Literature - Eyvind Johnson, Harry Martinson
- Peace - Séan MacBride, Eisaku Sato
- Economics - Gunnar Myrdal, Friedrich von Hayek

Fields Medalists


- Enrico Bombieri, David Mumford Category:1974

Templeton Prize


- Brother Roger als:1974 ko:1974년 ja:1974年 simple:1974 th:พ.ศ. 2517

Common year starting on Tuesday

This is the calendar for a common year starting on Tuesday (dominical letter F), e.g.2013, 2002, 1991, 1985, 1974, 1963... (A common year is a year with 365 days -- in other words, not a leap year.)
Previous year (common) Next year (common) Previous year (leap) Next year (leap) For other years, just shift the headers appropriately.
Millennium Century Year
2nd Millennium: 19th century: 1805 1811 1822 1833 1839 1850 1861 1867 1878 1889 1895
2nd Millennium: 20th century: 1901 1907 1918 1929 1935 1946 1957 1963 1974 1985 1991
3rd Millennium: 21st century: 2002 2013 2019 2030 2041 2047 2058 2069 2075 2086 2097
3rd Millennium: 22nd century: 2109 2115 2126 2137 2143 2154 2165 2171 2182 2193 2199
Category:Tuesday Category:Weeks ko:화요일로 시작하는 평년 th:ปีปกติสุรทินที่วันแรกเป็นวันอังคาร

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D, DnD, or AD&D for the advanced edition) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) published by Wizards of the Coast. The original Dungeons & Dragons, designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, was first published in January 1974 by Gygax's company, Tactical Studies Rules (TSR). Originally derived from tabletop wargames, this publication is generally regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games and, by extension, the role-playing game industry. The game also achieved minor notoriety, particularly in the 1980s, due to exploitation of its imagery by many fundamentalists for the purpose of scaring parents of players; they alleged that the game promoted, among other things, devil worship, witchcraft, suicide, and murder. Players of D&D invent fictitious characters who embark upon imaginary adventures in which they battle many kinds of fictional monsters, gather treasure, and earn experience points as the game progresses. The game departed from traditional wargaming by assigning each player a specific character to play. It also developed the concept of a Dungeon Master (DM) or Gamemaster (GM), the storyteller and referee responsible for creating the fictional setting of the game, moderating the actions of the players' characters, and playing the supporting cast of non-player characters. In 1977, a second version of the game, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as AD&D) was introduced. In 2000, the simplified version of the game was discontinued and the 3rd Edition of Dungeons & Dragons was released as a major revision of the AD&D game. The current version of the game, released in July 2003 is Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 (also known as the Revised 3rd Edition or D&D3.5). As of 2004, Dungeons & Dragons remains the best-known and best-selling RPG, with an estimated 20 million players worldwide and over US$1 billion in book and equipment sales (according to a BBC news report). Products branded Dungeons & Dragons made up over fifty percent of the RPG products sold in 2002. Outside of the gaming community, D&D has become a metonym used to refer to RPGs in general.

Play overview

metonym Dungeons & Dragons is an open-ended "make-believe" game in which players choose which actions their characters will take. The results of those actions are determined using the game's rules, which govern almost everything from combat to social interaction. However, the Dungeon Master is responsible for interpreting the rules and most simple actions can be resolved from simple logic without referring to the rules. The rules of the most recent version of the game are described in three core rulebooks: The Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual. Additional rulebooks, such as the Arms and Equipment Guide, contain optional rules which can also be used. Abbreviated versions of the rules are available to help beginners learn the game. The only items required to play the game are the rulebooks and polyhedral dice. Besides the above items, there are many optional items which can be used to supplement or enhance the gaming experience. Pre-designed adventures and fantasy settings are available. Special gameboards or cloths are sometimes used to visually depict the situations in the game, and miniature figures can be used to provide a three-dimensional representation of the characters. Computer programs are also available for supporting the game. polyhedral dice Before the game begins, each player creates his or her character. These choices determine what the character can do, how well he can perform different actions, and how the character will evolve with experience. Because of the ability for characters to grow and change as they gain experience and wealth in the D&D world, players typically use the same character repeatedly. Players roll dice or select to determine their character's ability scores (strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma). They then choose a race and a character class (although in some versions of the game non-human races were treated as a class of their own). Basic races include elves, dwarves, humans, and halflings, but there are many others. They will also select an alignment to describe the character's moral and ethical outlook. The basic core classes in the newest version of the game include barbarians, bards, clerics, druids, fighters, monks, paladins, rangers, rogues, sorcerers, and wizards. When characters defeat an enemy, accomplish a difficult task, and/or obtain treasure, they are awarded an appropriate number of experience points (EP/XP) by the DM. Each experience point milestone is called a level, after a character advances a level, they gain more abilities. A player advances in the class they chose or they may advance in additional classes by eschewing further advancement in their current class. The newest version also presents prestige classes that a player can acquire upon meeting certain prerequisites. When a player chooses to have his or her character attempt an action (such as punching an opponent or picking a lock), the outcome will be determined by a character's abilities, the opponent's Armour Class, a random die roll, or by some combination of the three. Different characters will be skilled at accomplishing different things, and the system encourages a well-balanced team of specialised characters.

Adventures

Armour Class to include science-fiction elements, such as ray guns and robots.]] A typical D&D game consists of an "adventure", which is roughly equivalent to a single story. After completing one adventure, players will usually start a new adventure while continuing to play the same characters. These series of adventures are usually called campaigns. In Dungeons & Dragons, a campaign is not only a series of adventures, but the fictional world in which those adventures take place. Adventures are usually designed by the DM, but throughout the history of Dungeons & Dragons, numerous pre-made "adventures" or "modules" have been published. These modules allow DMs to run a game without needing to create their own adventures, and typically include a backstory, maps, and one or more objectives for players' characters to achieve. Some modules include illustrations or hand-outs to supplement the basic gaming experience. These modules can also be used as parts of campaigns (see below) by DMs. A Dungeons & Dragons game may take place in any number of "campaign settings." During the early history of D&D, TSR's modules were usually denoted with a code consisting of a letter and a number. Modules within a letter set were usually related in some way. For example, the modules A1 through A4 comprised a mini-campaign with a linked story arc, starting with A1, Slaves Pits of the Undercity. Other letter sets indicated a thematic similarity (for example, the 'S' series of modules were unrelated except for their relatively lethal nature) or use with a particular set of rulebooks (such as the 'B' and 'X' series, which were designed for use with the Basic and Expert rules, respectively). Adventure modules typically have a suggested character level, which is often indicated on the cover. For example, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (module S3) was designed for levels 8-12, while Keep on the Borderlands (module B2) was for beginning characters of level 1-3. It should be noted that the letter/number codes themselves had no relation to the character levels the module was designed for. S1, The Tomb of Horrors, for example, is an adventure for characters of much higher levels (10-14) than B3, The Palace of the Silver Princess (1-3).

Miniature figures

The wargames from which Dungeons & Dragons evolved used miniature figures to represent combatants. D&D continued the use of miniatures in a fashion similar to its direct precursor, Chainmail, with each figure representing a specific character or monster. While the original rules of D&D required the use of miniatures to resolve combat situations, the rules quickly evolved to a point where combat could be resolved verbally and miniatures were no longer required for gameplay. Although no longer essential, miniatures remained popular with players and continued to serve as a useful visual reference. In the early days of D&D, they were often placed on acetate-covered graph paper with walls and other references drawn with grease pencils. As the adventurers moved from one area to another, the grease pencil markings could be wiped off and a new area drawn. In the 1980s numerous companies began to sell miniature figures specifically for D&D and similar games. TSR partnered with Grenadier Miniatures, who released their figures under the D&D brand, while other miniature manufacturers (such as Ral Partha and Citadel Miniatures) simply release generic, fantasy-themed figures. Professional products were also released to serve as grid-references for miniature play. Some players would build entire floor-and-wall sets from wood or cardboard and would invest in large inventories of trees and other model objects to create more realistic environments for their miniatures. Professionally-built sets were later released, as well. Periodically, Dungeons & Dragons returned to its wargaming roots with supplementary rules systems for miniatures-based wargaming. Supplements such as Battlesystem (1985 & 1989) and a new edition of Chainmail (2001) provided rule systems to depict battles between armies. The Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Game (2003) is sold as sets of plastic, randomly assorted, prepainted miniatures that can be used as either part of a standard D&D game or as a stand-alone collectable miniatures game.

Game History

collectable miniatures game

Influences

The fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons, designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, evolved in the early 1970s from the Chainmail system of wargaming rules by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. The game was influenced by mythology, pulp fiction, and contemporary fantasy authors of the 1960s and 1970s. The presence of halflings, elves, dwarves, half-elves, orcs, dragons and the like often draw comparisons to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, although Gygax claims he was influenced very little by The Lord of the Rings, stating that he included these elements as a marketing move to draw on the then-popularity of the work. Other influences, according to the 1977 edition of the Dungeon Master's Guide, include the works of Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, A. Merritt, H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Vance, Fritz Leiber, L. Sprague de Camp, Michael Moorcock, and Poul Anderson. The monsters often are taken from popular mythology, but many are unique creations of the makers of the Dungeons & Dragons game (such as the beholders, which often serve as the mascot of Dungeons & Dragons.)

Edition history

D&D has gone through several revisions. Parallel versions and inconsistent naming practices can make it difficult to distinguish between the different editions. The original Dungeons and Dragons (1974) was published as a boxed set and featured just a few character classes and monsters, and three simple alignments used more to define a characters role in overall conflict as opposed to personal behavior. Four supplements (Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eldritch Wizardry, and Gods, Demi-Gods and Heroes) were published over the next two years, expanding the basic structures of the game, character classes, monsters, and spells. Official and popular unofficial rule supplements were also published in the magazines The Strategic Review and its successor, The Dragon/Dragon Magazine. The Dragon/Dragon Magazine In 1977, TSR released two new versions of the game: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeons & Dragons, writen by Dr. J. Eric. Holmes was a simpler , often considered "introductory", version of the game. This edition saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay, which also coincided with the release of an Expert Set to accompany the Basic Set. Between 1983 and 1985 a new edition, by Frank Mentzer, was released in a series of five boxed sets, including the Basic Rules, Expert Rules, Companion Rules, Master Rules, and Immortal Rules. The Dungeons & Dragons game was revised again in 1991. This edition included the Dungeons & Dragons Game (an introductory boxed set) and the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (a hardback manual which included the material from the Basic, Expert, Companion, and Master sets). In 1994 the introductory boxed set was renamed the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game. In 1999 the introductory box set was revised and released as the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game. 1985 grasping a damsel while engaged in combat with a fighter and a magic-user. Scenarios such as this one were common for the game during the era when the manual was released.]] Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (or AD&D) was a more complicated version of the game, designed to collect, revise, and expand on the rules from the original version and its supplements. Between 1977 and 1979, three hardcover rulebooks, commonly referred to as the "core rulebooks", were released: The Player's Handbook (PHB), the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG), and the Monster Manual (MM). In 1989, AD&D was revised for a 2nd Edition (sometimes referred to as AD&D2 or 2nd Ed). The game was once again published as three core rulebooks, incorporating the expansions and revisions which had been published in various supplements over the previous decade. The Monster Manual was replaced by the Monstrous Compendium, a loose leaf-binder which was later replaced by the hardcover Monstrous Manual in 1993. The release of AD&D2 also corresponded with a policy change at TSR. An effort was made to remove aspects of the game had attracted negative publicity. Character classes such as the assassin and monk were eliminated, heroic roleplaying and player teamwork were stressed, demons and devils were renamed baatezu and tanar'ri, and the product artwork became less racy. The target age of the game was also lowered, with most 2nd edition products being aimed primarily at teenagers. The Second Edition art and marketing were also modified to appeal more to female players. In 1995, the core rulebooks were slightly revised and a series of Player's Option manuals were released as "optional core rulebooks". Although still referred to by TSR as the 2nd Edition, this revision is seen by some fans as a distinct edition of the game and is sometimes referred to as AD&D 2.5. This incarnation is considered distinct because this design incorporated a character points system, which does not rely on dice for generation of Player Character abilities or skills. In 1997, a near-bankrupt TSR was bought by Wizards of the Coast. The new company almost immediately began designing a new version of the game, which would be released in 2000 as Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition (also referred to as D&D3, 3E, or 3rd Ed). 3rd Edition was the largest revision of the D&D rules to date. 3rd Edition also served as the basis for a broader role-playing system designed around 20-sided dice, called the d20 system. For D&D3, the rules have been virtually rewritten from scratch with the intention of providing a robust set of game mechanics that can 'handle' any and all situations arising in the game without need for the Dungeon Master to resort to impromptu, on-the-spot rulings. A system of feats and skills has also been introduced in an effort to reflect the characters' individual differences in a more mechanical manner. 3rd Edition also introduced the concepts of "Prestige Classes" (high-level classes which characters can only enter upon meeting certain character-design prerequisites or fulfilling certain in-game goals) and expanded the idea of high-level campaigns with the Epic Level Handbook (a supplementary core rulebook). In 2003, the 3rd Edition rules were revised as Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 (also known as Revised 3rd Edition or D&D3.5). This release incorporated numerous minor rule changes and expanded the core rulebooks. A wide variety of optional supplements have been published for every edition of D&D. These supplements commonly include new rules, items, spells, and creatures. Other supplements include new adventures or detail entire fantasy worlds. The various editions of Dungeons & Dragons have won many Origins Awards, including All Time Best Roleplaying Rules of 1977, Best Roleplaying Rules of 1989 and Best Roleplaying Game of 2000 for the three flagship editions of the game. :See: Differences between editions of Dungeons & Dragons.

Legacy

Dungeons & Dragons was the first modern role-playing game, establishing many of the conventions which have dominated the genre. Particularly notable are the use of dice as a resolution mechanic, character record sheets, progressive character development, and game-master-centered group dynamics. The elements which made up D&D can be seen in many hobbies of the time. Character-based roleplaying, for example, can be seen in historical reenactment and improvisational theatre. Game world simulations had been well-developed in wargaming. Fantasy milieus specifically designed for gaming could be seen in Glorantha's board games and M.A.R. Barker's Tekumel, among others. Ultimately, however, D&D represented a unique blending of these elements, creating its own niche and leading to the development of a multitude of role-playing games. Science fiction, horror, superheroes, cartoons, westerns, spies and espionage, and many other fictional settings were adapted to role-playing games. Over the years, many gamers have criticized various aspects of the D&D rules. In previous editions, clunky and inconsistent mechanics were often seen as inefficient and confusing. The rapid climbing of levels by the characters of the newest version, with its accompanying accumulation of power, is considered artificial and unrealistic by many. Trying to find solutions to these problems led to other game developers expanded on and improved aspects of the game. Within only months of D&Ds release, new RPG writers and publishers began releasing their own role-playing games. The first arrivals to achieve lasting influence were the Gloranthan RuneQuest, released by Chaosium in 1976, and the science fiction role-playing game Traveller, released by Game Designers Workshop in 1978. Some of the later systems include Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu, Champions by Hero Games, GURPS by Steve Jackson Games and Vampire: The Masquerade by White Wolf Game Studio. These games also fed back into the genre's origin, miniatures wargames, with combat strategy games like Battletech, Warhammer Fantasy Battles and Warhammer 40,000. Collectable card games, like Magic: The Gathering, were also heavily influenced by D&D and its legacy. With the launch of D&Ds 3rd Edition, Wizards made available the d20 System under the Open Gaming License (OGL) and d20 Trademark License. Under these licenses, authors are free to use the d20 System when writing their own games and game supplements. The OGL and d20 Trademark License are also responsible for making possible new versions of older games, such as Call of Cthulhu, using the new system.

Related products

Magazines

In 1975, TSR began publishing The Strategic Review. At the time, roleplaying games were still seen as a sub-genre of the wargaming industry, and the magazine was designed not only to support D&D and TSR's other games, but also to cover wargaming in general. In short order, however, the popularity and growth of D&D made it clear that the game had not only separated itself from its wargaming origins, but had launched an entirely new industry unto itself. After only seven issues, TSR cancelled The Strategic Review and replaced it with The Dragon (later Dragon Magazine) in 1976. Although Dragon Magazine was originally designed to support the roleplaying industry in general, it has always been primarily a house organ for TSR's (or more recently Wizards of the Coast's) role-playing games with a particular focus on D&D. Most of the magazine's articles provide supplementary material for the game, including new races, classes, spells, traps, monsters, skills, and rules. Other articles will provide tips and suggestions for players and DMs. The magazine has also published a number of well-known, gamer-oriented comic strips over the years, including Wormy, SnarfQuest, Yamara, Knights of the Dinner Table, Nodwick, and Dork Tower. In 1986, TSR launched a new magazine to complement Dragon. Dungeon Adventures, published bimonthly, published nothing but adventure modules for DMs. While Dungeon now publishes other kinds of material as well, Dungeons & Dragons adventures remain its main focus. Although many other magazines have partially or fully devoted themselves to supporting Dungeons & Dragons, Dragon and Dungeon remain the only two official publications for the game.

Films and TV

A popular Dungeons & Dragons animated series was produced in 1983. A Dungeons & Dragons movie was released in 2000. Dungeons & Dragons 2: Wrath of the Dragon God, a made-for-TV sequel, was first aired on the Sci-Fi Channel on October 8th, 2005. (This sequel is also known by the alternate title Dungeons & Dragons 2: The Elemental Might.) In 2003, a computer animated motion picture entitled Scourge of Worlds was produced for DVD, featuring iconic characters created for the 3rd Edition. This is an interactive movie that asks viewers to decide what actions the heroes should take at crucial points in the story, allowing hundreds of different story-telling combinations.

Computer and video games

Fifty-three computer games and sixteen video games (ten for consoles, four for handheld devices, and two arcade games) had been released and sold under the D&D license as of October 2004. Almost half of these games were developed by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Most, but not all, are computer role-playing games that use rules derived from some version of the D&D rules. Notable titles include
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Cartridge, designed for the Intellivision, was the first computer console game based on the D&D license.
- Pool of Radiance (1988) was the first D&D computer game. Designed by SSI, the same game engine would be used to develop ten more D&D games. It was followed by a sequel Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor, released in 2001 from Ubisoft
- Eye of the Beholder (1990) was the first in a trilogy of popular games designed by Westwood Studios and published by SSI in the early 1990s.
- Neverwinter Nights, (1991-1997) was developed by Stormfront Studios and was the first graphical MMORPG, paving the way for derivative games including Ultima Online and Everquest. The game was a major hit, and the name and settings formed the basis for the Neverwinter Nights PC game (see below).
- Baldur's Gate (1998) was the first D&D computer game developed using Bioware's Infinity Engine to be published by Interplay. It met with critical success and was followed by several more D&D games, including a sequel (Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn ), similarly developed by Bioware with Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale II and Planescape: Torment developed by Interplay's Black Isle Studios.
- Neverwinter Nights (2002), also developed by BioWare, was the first faithful implementation of the 3rd Edition rules in a CRPG. The game included sophisticated design tools which allowed Dungeon Masters to design unique scenarios, much as they would for the tabletop game itself.
- Dungeons & Dragons Online is an MMORPG based on the Eberron campaign setting. It is currently being developed by Turbine. The game will go into closed beta testing in early 2006, and is scheduled for a loose May 2006 release. For a full list of licensed D&D computer and video games, see List of Dungeons & Dragons computer and video games. Many other CRPGs, such as the numerous Roguelike games, are directly or indirectly based on the D&D game.

Novels

Several hundred novels have been published based upon Dungeons & Dragons.
- Fantasy Grand Master Andre Norton's novel Quag Keep, published in 1978, was set in Greyhawk, making it the first novel to use a D&D campaign setting.
- Throughout the early 1980s, TSR printed several series of "Choose Your Own Adventure"-style novels under the Endless Quest, Super Endless Quest, Heart Quest Books, and 1 on 1 Adventure Gamebooks trademarks. Most of these books were based on D&D, although some were based on other TSR role-playing games.
- The Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, published in 1984, were the first major novels published by TSR.
- D&D creator Gary Gygax's series of Gord the Rogue novels, published from 1985 to 1988, was set in his Greyhawk campaign setting.
- Author R. A. Salvatore wrote a number of books based in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, including 17 that feature his famed character Drizzt Do'Urden.
- From 2002 to 2004, a series of interlinking novels focusing upon the iconic characters of the 3rd Edition were published. These books were written by T.H. Lain (possibly a pseudonym for several authors as the books varied in their writing style).

Comics

During the 1980s and 1990s, DC Comics published several licensed D&D comics, including: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Forgotten Realms, and Spelljammer. After the release of the 3rd Edition, KenzerCo, better known for the popular Knights of the Dinner Table, secured the licensing rights to produce official D&D comics. Using the license, they produced a number of different mini-series. One noteable mini-series for this comic line entitled Tempest's Gate was authored by Sean Smith. It featured memorable iconic characters of D&D such as Zed Kraken, a powerful and influential magus.[http://www.kenzerco.com/periodicals/dnd/tg.php] In 2005, the license passed to Devil's Due Productions. Starting in June of that year, Devil's Due began releasing official adaptations of D&D tie-in novels, starting with Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy.

Board games

Several board games have been sold either under the Dungeons & Dragons trademark or in association with it:
- Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game (1980) This was the first computer/board game hybrid and the first D&D licensed game that contained digital electronics.
- DragonStrike (1993) used a simplified form of D&D and included an instructional video tape in which costumed actors, combined with computer-generated imagery, played the characters and monsters from the board game.
- Dungeon (1975), a board game published by TSR, featured similar gameplay and genre tropes to D&D and was frequently advertised in D&D products.
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Battlesystem (1985) Create fantasy armies with counters or miniatures and fight battles on epic porportions. Can be played on its own or with first edition AD&D RPG game.
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Battlesystem Skirmishes (1991) A Different Version of the above game released at a later date.
- Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy Adventure Boardgame (2004) A simplified version of the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game, designed as an introduction to roleplaying, but is - in essence - a boardgame not unlike HeroQuest.
- Dungeons and Dragons - Fantasy Adventure Boardgame Expansion: Eternal Winter (2004) This is the 1st expansion for Dungeons & Dragons Board Game by Hasbro.
- Dungeons and Dragons - Fantasy Adventure Boardgame Expansion: Forbidden Forest (2005) This is the 2nd expansion for Dungeons & Dragons Board Game by Hasbro.
- Dungeons and Dragons Clue (2001) Standard Clue with a D&D fantasy theme.
- Dungeons & Dragons Board Game (2002) Cooperative dungeon crawl game in which a party of four heroes strives to complete adventures that the Dungeon Master puts before them. Quite similar to HeroQuest.
- Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game (2000) Based upon the roleplaying system D&D here we have an typical dungeon crawl game.
- Introduction to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1995) An introductory board version of the AD&D system via basic scenarios played with miniatures (plastic, included), and a campy/nifty CD for both ambience and automated DM instructions.
- The New Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons (1991) This game is in a way an introduction to RPG but is played as a board game. Three expansions were released for it: Dragon's Den, Haunted Tower, Goblin's Lair.

References in popular culture

As the popularity of D&D grew throughout the late-'70s and '80s, references to the game often began to appear in popular culture. For example, in the movie E.T., several of the young characters are shown playing the game. More typically, D&D players are seen as the epitome of geekdom, and references to the game are used as a shorthand to establish characterization (as in the movie Airheads) or provide the punchline of a joke (for example, on Saturday Night Live). Many players, miffed with this stereotype, embrace the fact that film stars Vin Diesel and Robin Williams have confessed to playing D&D. The TV Series Futurama also contained numerous references to Dungeons & Dragons, including an animated appearance by Gary Gygax himself. It should also be noted that D&D is frequently parodied, with parodies of the game existing in nearly all media, including [http://www.deadgentlemen.com/ film], [http://snltranscripts.jt.org/89/89jlothar.phtml television], and cartoons, among others. Much of the potential for parody in Dungeons & Dragons may exist because, with its heroic millieu and imagination-based gameplay, it exaggerates the gap between the actuality of the players' self-image and the grandiose personas they adopt in gameplay [http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/pdf/10.1525/si.2004.27.3.333] (PDF).

Controversy and notoriety

PDF a girl gets involved in witchcraft through playing D&D. Later she converts to Christianity and rejects the game. In these frames D&D materials are burnt at a Christian gathering.]] The game's commercial success led to lawsuits between Arneson and Gygax starting in 1979, over issues of royalties, particularly for AD&D for which Arneson was not given credit by TSR. Those suits were settled out of court by 1981. The game also achieved notoriety, particularly in the 1980s, due to its alleged promotion of devil worship, witchcraft, suicide, and murder. Some Evangelical Christians have criticized Dungeons & Dragons for encouraging interest in sorcery and demonic creatures. Many of these criticisms, though mentioning "Dungeons & Dragons" specifically, were actually aimed at RPG's or the fantasy genre in general and are covered in the History of role-playing games article. The controversy involving occult influences led TSR to remove lengthy references to demons, devils, and other supernatural monsters commonly associated with "sorcery" in the 2nd Edition of AD&D. Many of these aspects were returned to the game with the release of the 3rd Edition. A few products have gone into even further detail on the activities of demons and demon worshippers than those of previous editions; the more extreme, like the Book of Vile Darkness, bear a "For Mature Audiences Only" label.

See also


- Role-playing games
- Live action role-playing game
- Computer role-playing games
  - MUD – Multi-User Dungeons, many of which are based on D&D
  - MMORPG – The modern successor to MUDs
- Jeff Dee and Erol Otus, early D&D artists
- Dungeons & Dragons spells
- Dungeons & Dragons deities

References


- Fannon, Sean Patrick. The Fantasy Role-Playing Gamer's Bible, 2nd Edition. Obsidian Studios, 2000.
- Gygax, Gary. Roleplaying Mastery. New York, NY: Perigee, 1987.
- Gygax, Gary. Master of the Game. New York, NY: Perigee, 1989.
- Gygax, Gary. "Editorial." Dragon Magazine 95: 12. (on influence from Tolkien)
- Jaffe, Rona. Mazes and Monsters. New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1981.
- Schick, Lawrence. Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Roleplaying Games. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1991.
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3655627.stm BBC article on the history of Dungeons & Dragons]
- [http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538848p1.html?fromint=1 Gamespy's 30th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons special]
- [http://www.acaeum.com/ The Acaeum] – detailed information on pre-AD&D2 editions of the game
- [http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/wotcdemo.html Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary V1.0]
- [http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/03/29/open_dungeon/index.html Opening the Dungeon] – an article about the conflict over the proprietary or open-source nature of Dungeons & Dragons
- [http://www.classicgaming.com/gotcha/ssi.htm Classic Gaming Feature on SSI]

External links


- [http://www.wizards.com/ Wizards of the Coast] – owner and publisher of Dungeons & Dragons.
- [http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/index.htm TSR Archive] – a catalogue of (almost) everything D&D produced by TSR, with cover pictures, back cover blurb and publishing info.
- [http://www.d20srd.org/ The Hypertext d20 SRD] – Dungeons & Dragons rules available online
- [http://www.rpgstudies.net/ Studies about fantasy role-playing games] - a list of academic articles about RPGs Category:Role-playing games Category:Dungeons & Dragons Category:Origins award winners ja:ダンジョンズ&ドラゴンズ

January 6

January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 359 days (360 in leap years) remain in the year after this day.

Events


- 1066 - Harold Godwinson crowned King of England
- 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King of the Romans
- 1540 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves.
- 1579 - The Union of Atrecht was signed
- 1661 - The fifth monarchy men unsuccessfully attempt to seize control of London.
- 1690 - Joseph, son of Emperor Leopold I becomes King of the Romans
- 1720 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings
- 1853 - American President-Elect Franklin Pierce, wife Jane, and son Ben are involved in a train wreck near Andover, Massachusetts. Franklin and Jane survive but eleven-year-old Ben is killed.
- 1858 - Samuel Morse first successfully tested the electrical telegraph.
- 1887 - `Abd-allah II of Harar opens the Battle of Chelenqo with an attack on the camp of the Shewan army of Negus Menelik II early in the morning; prepared for the assault, the Negus orders a counter-attack which routs the enemy, resulting with the capture of Harar a few days later.
- 1893 - Washington National Cathedral is chartered by Congress. The charter is signed by President Benjamin Harrison.
- 1870 - The inauguration of the Musikverein (Vienna).
- 1900 - It is reported that millions are starving in India.
  - Boers attack Ladysmith, South Africa - over 1,000 people killed
- 1907 - Maria Montessori opens her first school and daycare center for working class children in Rome.
- 1912 - New Mexico is admitted as the 47th U.S. state.
- 1929 - King Alexander of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes suspends his country's constitution (the so-called January 6th Dictatorship, Šestojanuarska diktatura.)
- 1930 - The first diesel-engine automobile trip is completed (Indianapolis, Indiana, to New York City).
- 1931 - Thomas Edison submits his last patent application.
- 1936 - Supreme Court of the United States rules the 1933 Agricultural Adjustment Act unconstitutional in the case United States v. Butler et al.; Porky Pig premieres
- 1940 - Actor William Powell marries his 3rd and final wife, actress Diana Lewis
  - Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the city of Poznan, Warthegau.
- 1941 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivers his Four Freedoms Speech in the State of the Union Address.
- 1942 - Pan American Airlines becomes the first commercial airline to have a flight go around the world.
- 1946 - William Joyce (Lord Haw-Haw) hanged for treason at the age of 39
- 1950 - The United Kingdom recognizes the People's Republic of China. The Republic of China severs diplomatic relations with Britain in response.
- 1961 - A fire at the Thomas Hotel in San Francisco kills 20 people.
- 1967 - United States Marine Corps and ARVN troops launch "Operation Deckhouse Five" in the Mekong River delta.
- 1973 - Schoolhouse Rock premieres on American television
- 1974 - In response to the energy crisis, daylight saving time commences nearly four months early in the United States.
- 1975 - The American soap opera Another World becomes the first soap opera in the world to air hour-long regularly scheduled episodes.
- 1978 - The Hungarian Holy crown (also known as Stephen_I_of_Hungary crown) returned to Hungary from the United_States, where was held after the WW_II.
- 1982 - William Bonin convicted of being the "freeway killer".
- 1992 - The United Nations Security Council votes unanimously condemning Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
- 1994 - Nancy Kerrigan is clubbed on the right leg by an assailant under orders from figure skating rival Tonya Harding.
- 1995 - A chemical fire in an apartment complex in Manila, Philippines, leads to the discovery of plans for Project Bojinka, a mass-terrorist attack.
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