This day in history

[January 10, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Monday, Jan. 10, the 10th day of 2011. There are 355 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Jan. 10, 1861, Florida became the third state to break from the Union as it passed an Ordinance of Secession at the State Capitol in Tallahassee by a vote of 62-7.

On this date:

In 1776, Thomas Paine anonymously published his influential pamphlet, "Common Sense."

In 1860, the Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, Mass., collapsed and caught fire, killing up to 145 people, mostly female workers from Scotland and Ireland.

In 1870, John D. Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil.

In 1901, the Spindletop oil field in Beaumont, Texas, produced the Lucas Gusher, heralding the start of the Texas oil boom.

In 1920, the League of Nations was established as the Treaty of Versailles (vehr-SY') went into effect.

In 1946, the first General Assembly of the United Nations convened in London.

In 1957, Harold Macmillan became prime minister of Britain, following the resignation of Anthony Eden.

In 1961, the University of Georgia, under court order, admitted its first two black students, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter (now reporter Charlayne Hunter-Gault). Dashiell Hammett, author of "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Thin Man," died in New York at age 66.

In 1971, "Masterpiece Theatre" premiered on PBS with host Alistair Cooke introducing the drama series "The First Churchills." French fashion designer Coco Chanel died in Paris at age 87.

In 1980, former AFL-CIO president George Meany died in Washington, D.C., at age 85.

Ten years ago: President-elect George W. Bush moved quickly in search of a new candidate for labor secretary after the abrupt withdrawal of his first choice, Linda Chavez. Bush and his national security team received a top-secret Pentagon briefing on military challenges around the world.

Five years ago: Iran resumed nuclear research two years after halting the work to avoid possible U.N. economic sanctions. Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs unveiled an iMac computer based on Intel chips. Bruce Sutter became the fourth relief pitcher elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One year ago: Data showed China edging past Germany in 2009 to become the top exporting nation. NBC announced it had decided to move "The Jay Leno Show" from prime time to 11:35 p.m. Eastern time while pushing "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" back to 12:05 a.m. (O'Brien ended up leaving NBC, and Leno resumed hosting "Tonight.")

Today's birthdays: Opera singer Sherrill Milnes is 76. Blues artist Eddy Clearwater is 76. Rock singer-musician Ronnie Hawkins is 76. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Willie McCovey is 73. Singer Scott McKenzie is 72. Movie director Walter Hill is 71. Singer Frank Sinatra, Jr. is 67. Singer Rod Stewart is 66. Rock singer-musician Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) is 63. Actor William Sanderson is 63. International Boxing Hall of Famer and entrepreneur George Foreman is 62. Roots rock singer Alejandro Escovedo is 60. Rock musician Scott Thurston (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) is 59. Singer Pat Benatar is 58. Hall of Fame race car driver and team owner Bobby Rahal is 58. Rock musician Michael Schenker is 56. Singer Shawn Colvin is 55. Rock singer-musician Curt Kirkwood (Meat Puppets) is 52. Actor Evan Handler is 50. Rock singer Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies) is 47. Actress Trini Alvarado is 44. Rock musician Matt Roberts (3 Doors Down) is 33. Rock singer Brent Smith (Shinedown) is 33. Rapper Chris Smith (Kris Kross) is 32. Actress Sarah Shahi is 31.

Thought for today: "You got to look on the bright side, even if there ain't one." -- Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961)

[Associated Press]

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