This day in history

[January 14, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Jan. 14, the 14th day of 2011. There are 351 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Jan. 14, 1784, the United States ratified a peace treaty with England, ending the Revolutionary War.

On this date:

In 1639, the first constitution of Connecticut -- the Fundamental Orders -- was adopted.

In 1858, Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, and his wife, Empress Eugenie, escaped an assassination attempt led by Italian revolutionary Felice (fay-LEE'-chay) Orsini, who was later captured and executed.

In 1900, Puccini's opera "Tosca" had its world premiere in Rome.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and French General Charles de Gaulle opened a wartime conference in Casablanca.

In 1952, NBC's "Today" show premiered, with Dave Garroway as the host, or "communicator," as he was officially known.

In 1953, Josip Broz Tito (YAW'-sihp brawz TEE'-toh) was elected president of Yugoslavia by the country's Parliament.

In 1963, George C. Wallace was sworn in as governor of Alabama with a pledge of "segregation forever."

In 1968, the Green Bay Packers of the NFL defeated the AFL's Oakland Raiders, 33-14, in Super Bowl II.

In 1969, 27 people aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, off Hawaii, were killed when a rocket warhead exploded, setting off a fire and additional explosions.

In 1970, Diana Ross and the Supremes performed their last concert together, at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.

Ten years ago: The matchup for Super Bowl XXXV (35) was decided as the New York Giants shut out the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 to win the NFC championship, and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Oakland Raiders 16-3 to gain the AFC title.

Five years ago: The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial (Rizgar Mohammed Amin) submitted his resignation (he was succeeded by Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman). Johnny Weir won his third straight title at the U.S. Figure Skating championships in St. Louis; Sasha Cohen won the women's division; Michelle Kwan was given a berth on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team. Academy Award-winning actress Shelley Winters died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 85.

One year ago: President Barack Obama and the U.S. moved to take charge in earthquake-ravaged Haiti, dispatching thousands of troops along with tons of aid. Iraq's electoral commission barred 500 candidates from running in March 2010 parliamentary elections, including a prominent Sunni lawmaker, deepening sectarian divides.

Today's birthdays: CBS commentator Andy Rooney is 92. Blues singer Clarence Carter is 75. Country singer Billie Jo Spears is 74. Singer Jack Jones is 73. Singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint is 73. Former NAACP Chairman Julian Bond is 71. Actress Faye Dunaway is 70. Actress Holland Taylor is 68. Actor Carl Weathers is 63. Singer-producer T-Bone Burnett is 63. Movie writer-director Lawrence Kasdan is 62. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd is 59. Rock singer Geoff Tate (Queensryche) is 52. Movie writer-director Steven Soderbergh is 48. Actor Mark Addy is 47. Fox News Channel anchorman Shepard Smith is 47. Rapper Slick Rick is 46. Actor Dan Schneider is 45. Actress Emily Watson is 44. Actor-comedian Tom Rhodes is 44. Rock musician Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne Band) is 44. Rapper-actor LL Cool J is 43. Actor Jason Bateman is 42. Rock singer-musician Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) is 42. Actress Jordan Ladd is 36. Retro-soul singer-songwriter Marc Broussard is 29. Rock singer-musician Caleb Followill (Kings of Leon) is 29. Rock musician Joe Guese (The Click Five) is 28.

Thought for today: "Dignity is like a perfume; those who use it are scarcely conscious of it." -- Queen Christina of Sweden (1626-1689)

[Associated Press]

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