In History, Today on January 13

The United States House of Representatives votes to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time, charging him with "incitement of insurrection" following the storming of the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021.

A false ballistic missile alert was issued in Hawaii, causing widespread panic before being corrected 38 minutes later.

The cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy, resulting in the deaths of 32 people.

In Haiti, after the devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010, international aid and rescue operations begin to accelerate.

An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck El Salvador, causing widespread damage and resulting in the deaths of at least 944 people.

A historic nuclear disarmament agreement is signed in Paris by France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, and China, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Soviet troops storm the Vilnius TV Tower in Lithuania amidst the escalating conflict between the Soviet government and Lithuanian independence supporters. This event becomes a pivotal moment in Lithuania's eventual independence from the Soviet Union.

Douglas Wilder becomes the first African American governor as he takes office in Virginia.

Johnny Cash performs live at Folsom State Prison, California; the recording becomes one of the most famous live albums in music history.

Marshal Josip Broz Tito is elected President of Yugoslavia, marking a significant turn in the political landscape of the country as he moved towards establishing a unique socialist state independent of Soviet influence.

Henry Ford patents a plastic automobile, which is 30% lighter than a regular car.

A plebiscite in the Saarland shows that 90.3% of those voting wish to join Nazi Germany, leading to its reintegration into Germany.

The Mickey Mouse comic strip debuts in newspapers. The strip, a significant piece of American pop culture, helped further popularize the Mickey Mouse character created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks.

The first public radio broadcast takes place; a live performance of the operas Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci is sent out over the airwaves from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Hugh M. Dorsey, the future Governor of Georgia, displays Edgar M. Gettys in Georgia. This event is crucial in the chain of events leading to the lynching of African American Ernest Williams.

Émile Zola's open letter 'J'accuse' was published in the newspaper L'Aurore in France. It accused the French government of anti-Semitism and the unlawful jailing of Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer wrongly convicted of treason.

The Independent Labour Party of the United Kingdom holds its first meeting, marking a significant development in the British labor movement.

Dr. William Brydon, an assistant surgeon in the British East India Company Army, becomes famous for being the only European survivor of the retreat from Kabul, part of the First Anglo-Afghan War.

French Revolutionary Wars: A naval battle between French and British fleets occurs off the coast of Brittany.

The Bank of Genoa fails after Spain declares bankruptcy.

Elizabeth I was crowned Queen of England in Westminster Abbey after the death of her half-sister, Queen Mary I. The coronation marked the beginning of her long and significant reign, known for the Elizabethan era, which saw flourishing English drama led by playwrights such as William Shakespeare and the seafaring exploits of figures such as Sir Francis Drake.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, is sentenced to death for treason, marking the end of the Howard family's influence in the English court.

Edward III of England is declared King of England after his father Edward II is deposed.

Pope Honorius II grants a papal sanction to the military order known as the Knights Templar, declaring it to be an army of God.

The Nika riots, one of the most violent riots in the history of Constantinople, began. The riots were sparked by political and social tensions and were named after the rallying cry 'Nika' (meaning 'Victory'). They lasted for a week and resulted in the destruction of much of the city and the deaths of tens of thousands of people.