This Day in History for January 31 – Truman Announces H-Bomb Plans and More
Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:
1606 – Guy Fawkes, a chief conspirator in a plot to blow up the British Parliament building, jumps to his death moments before his execution for treason (More info)
1747 – The first venereal disease clinic opens at London Lock Hospital (More info)
1865 – The US House of Representatives passes the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolishes slavery in America, and submits it to the states for ratification (More info)
1865 – Robert E. Lee is appointed commander-in-chief of the Confederate forces (More info)
1950 – President Harry S. Truman announces a program to develop the hydrogen bomb (More info)
1961 - A chimpanzee named "Ham" became the first U.S. animal sent into space. Ham traveled 158 miles above the earth in the Mercury-Redstone-2 space capsule.
1971 - Astronauts Alan Shepherd Jr., Edgar Mitchell and Stuart Roosa blasted off aboard Apollo 14 on a mission to the moon.
It's Scotch Tape Day. The sticky stuff was patented in 1928.