A History Challenge from Goodreads

I didn't officially sign up for it, but it seems interesting.  If I do one book from this, it will be a success, but still pretty cool.

Duration: 1/1/14 - 1/31/14

January in History:
January in History:


1/1/1801 - Ireland was added to Great Britain by an Act of Union thus creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Read a book set in Ireland or with an Irish character
 
1/3/1959 - Alaska was admitted as the 49th U.S. state with a land mass almost one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states together. - Read a book set in Alaska

1/4/1852 - Louis Braille (1809-1852) was born in France. Blinded as a boy, he later invented a reading system for the blind using punch marks in paper. Read a book with a sight impaired character.
 
1/6/1412 - Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was born in France. After a series of mystic visitations by saints, she inspired French troops to break the British siege at Orleans and win several important victories during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) between France and Britain. (view spoiler)[ She was eventually captured and sold to the British who tried her for heresy and burned her at the stake. In 1920, Joan of Arc was canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. (hide spoiler)] Read a book with a character that has visions.

1/7/1714 - A patent was issued for the first typewriter designed by British inventor Henry Mill "for the impressing or transcribing of letters singly or progressively one after another, as in writing." Yay for the typewriter!! Read any book you want

1/8/1815 - The Battle of New Orleans occurred as General Andrew Jackson and American troops defended themselves against a British attack, inflicting over 2,000 casualties. Read a book set in New Orleans

1/8/1935 - Elvis Presley (1935-1977) was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Read a book featuring “a hunk a hunk of burning love”.

1/11/1755 - Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) was born in the British West Indies. He died from a gunshot wound received during a duel with Aaron Burr. Read a book with a duel or just a plan old regular fight between two people.

1/14/1741 - Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) was born in Norwich, Connecticut. He was the American Revolutionary War hero who turned traitor, sending information to the British in exchange for money. Read a book with a traitor in it.

1/15/69 AD - Roman Emperor Servius Sulpicius Galba was assassinated by the Praetorian guard in the Roman Forum. Read a book set in or involving Ancient Rome. Or watch and episode of Spartacus
.
1/15/1559 - Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was crowned as Elizabeth I in Westminster Abbey. Read a book with a character named Elizabeth or a Queen of some sort.

1/16/1991 - The war against Iraq began as Allied aircraft conducted a major raid against Iraqi air defenses. The air raid on Baghdad was broadcast live to a global audience by CNN correspondents as operation Desert Shield became Desert Storm. Read a book set during Desert Storm or during the 90s.

1/17/1706 - Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Considered the Elder Statesman of the American Revolution, he displayed multiple talents as a printer, author, publisher, philosopher, scientist, diplomat and philanthropist. He signed both the Declaration of Independence and the new U.S. Constitution. Read a book featuring a character that wears many hats.

1/19/1809 - Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849) poet and writer of mystery and suspense tales, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His works include; The Fall of the House of Usher, Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, The Murders in the Rue Morgue and his famous poem The Raven. Read something by Edgar Allen Poe or inspired by his work.

1/24/1848 - The California gold rush began with the accidental discovery of the precious metal near Coloma during construction of a Sutter's sawmill. Read a book that takes place during the gold rush or that has a gold cover.

1/24/1895 - Hawaii's monarchy ended as Queen Liliuokalani was forced to abdicate. Hawaii was then annexed by the U.S. And remained a territory until statehood was granted in 1959. Read a book that is set in Hawaii.

1/25/1959 - An American Airlines Boeing 707 made the first scheduled transcontinental U.S. flight, traveling from California to New York. Read a book where someone flies from California to New York

1/26/1998 - President Bill Clinton made an emphatic denial of charges that he had a sexual affair with Monica Lewinsky and had advised her to lie about it. "...I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky..." Read a book where someone does have sexual relations.

1/27/1832 - British novelist Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) was born in Daresbury, Cheshire, England (as Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). Best known for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Read something written by or inspired by Lewis Carroll.

1/30/1835 - President Andrew Jackson survived the first assassination attempt on a U.S. President. Read a book featuring an assassin

1/30/1973 - During the Watergate scandal, Gordon Liddy and James McCord were convicted of burglary, wire-tapping and attempted bugging of the Democratic headquarters inside the Watergate building in Washington, D.C. Read a book filled with spies.

1/31/1919- Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) was born in Cairo, Georgia. He was the first African American to play professional baseball. Read a book where the character breaks down the barrier between themselves and something they really want