1 of 6 | Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts during the presentation of the winner’s trophy after defeating Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in the women’s singles final January 26, 2019, at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne. File Photo by Julian Smith/EPA-EFE
Jan. 26 (UPI) — On this date in history: In 1788, the first shipload of British convicts arrived in Australia. The establishment of an Australian prison colony was aimed at relieving overcrowding in British prisons. Advertisement
In 1837, Michigan joined the United States as the 26th state.
In 1861, Louisiana seceded from the United States.
In 1875, the electric dental drill was patented by George Green of Kalamazoo, Mich.
File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI
In 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation establishing Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.
In 1918, to promote food conservation during World War I, the U.S. government called for one meatless day, two wheatless days and two porkless days each week.
In 1950, India ceased to be a British dominion and became the Republic of India, the most populous democracy in the world.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy named Dr. Janet Travell of New York City as his personal White House physician — the first woman ever to be given such an assignment.
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In 1988, The Phantom of the Opera opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre in New York.
In 1990, hurricane-force winds pounded the British Isles and much of Northern Europe, killing at least 92 people and knocking out power to nearly 1 million people.
In 1998, in response to allegations that he had an affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, U.S. President Bill Clinton declared,