What Happened on January 17?

January 17 is Kid Inventors' Day, chosen because it's Benjamin Franklin's birthday. It's also the day patriots won the Battle of Cowpens and Queen Liliuokalani lost her throne.

• 1781 — Daniel Morgan wins the Battle of Cowpens

  Brigadier General Daniel Morgan used clever positioning to crush Banastre Tarleton's British force in under an hour, a turning point in the Revolutionary War's Southern campaign. Read the full story →

• 1893 — Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii is overthrown

  A committee of American and European businessmen, backed by U.S. Marines from the USS Boston, forced Hawaii's queen to yield her throne — ending the Hawaiian Kingdom's rule. Read the full story →

• 1961 — Eisenhower warns of the military-industrial complex

  In his televised farewell address, President Dwight D. Eisenhower cautioned that a huge defense establishment joined with a giant arms industry could gain dangerous, unwarranted influence. Read the full story →

• 1995 — Great Hanshin earthquake devastates Kobe, Japan

  A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck beneath Awaji Island near Kobe at dawn, toppling highways and buildings in about 20 seconds and killing more than 6,400 people. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) · Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) · Betty White (1922–2021) · Michelle Obama (1964)

Days & observances

Kid Inventors' Day · Ben Franklin Day · Cable Car Day · Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day