45 BC - The Julian calendar takes effect for the first time.
1502 - Portuguese navigators discover Rio de Janeiro
1610 - German astronomer Simon Marius 1st discovers the Jupiter moons, but does not officially report it, Galileo does on July 1 1610
1700 - Protestant Western Europe (except England) begin using Gregorian calendar
1801 - The dwarf planet Ceres is discovered by Italian monk Giuseppe Piazzi.
1804 - Haiti gains independence from France (National Day)
1880 - Building of Panama Canal, begins
1907 - The first New Year's Eve celebration is held in Times Square (then known as Longacre Square) in New York City.
1925 - Norway's capital Christiania changes name to Oslo
2002 - Euro banknotes and coins become legal tender in twelve of the European Union's member states.
