January 11: Prithvi Jayanti in NepalCover of Smoking and Health1654 Arauco War: The Mapuche-Huilliche of southern Chile defeated a slave-hunting Spanish army at the Battle of Ro Bueno.1693 The most powerful earthquake recorded in Italy struck the island of Sicily, causing 60,000 deaths and prompting a period of architectural revival.1914 The Karluk, the flagship of the Canadian Arctic Expedition, sank after being crushed by ice.1964 In a landmark report (cover pictured), U.S. surgeon general Luther Terry issued a warning that tobacco smoking may be hazardous to health, concluding that it has a causative role in lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and other illnesses.2003 After Chicago police detective Jon Burge was discovered to have extracted forced confessions from more than 200 suspects, the governor of Illinois commuted the death sentences of 167 prisoners and pardoned four others.Min Bin (d.1554)Socrates Nelson (b.1814)Eva Le Gallienne (b.1899)Eva Tanguay (d.1947)More anniversaries: January 10January 11January 12ArchiveBy emailList of days of the yearAbout