On Jan. 4, 1853, New Yorker Solomon Northup regained his freedom after being kidnapped and forced into slavery; he would later tell his story in his memoir, “Twelve Years a Slave.”

In 1974, President Richard Nixon refused to hand over tape recordings and documents subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.

In 1999, Europe’s new currency, the euro, got off to a strong start on its first trading day, rising against the dollar on world currency markets.

In 2006, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a significant stroke; his official powers were transferred to his deputy, Ehud Olmert.

In 2007, Democrat Nancy Pelosi was elected the first female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 2010, the Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world, opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.