Today in History - January 31st

1747 - The first clinic specializing in venereal diseases was opened in London.
1865 - In America, Robert E. Lee was named general of the Confederate armies.
1865 - The 13th Amendment to the Constitution was passed by the U.S. House of Representative and it abolished slavery in the United States.
1876 - All Native Americans were ordered to move into reservations.
1929 - The USSR exiled Leon Trotsky. He found asylum in Mexico where he had befriended legendary muralist Diego Rivera and his wife painter Frieda Kahlo.
1930 - Navy Lt. Ralph S. Barnaby became the first glider pilot to have his craft released from a dirigible.
1940 - The first Social Security check was issued by the United States Government.
1950 - President Truman announced that he had ordered development of the hydrogen bomb.
1958 - The first U.S. earth satellite, EXPLORER ONE, was launched.
1971 - Telephone service between East and West Berlin was re-started after 19 years.
1990 - McDonald's Corp. opened its first fast-food restaurant in Moscow (Russia).
2011 - Egypt's people vowed to continue demonstrating until President Mubarak's regime fell.
2012- China constricted its control of monasteries after protests in Tibet.

SCIENCE, DISCOVERIES, PATENTS - Today in History, January 31st

1893 - The trademark "Coca-Cola" was registered in the US Patent Office.
2013 - NASA unveiled the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR), a mining robot which could be used to produce fuel and water while on the Moon.

1963 - The Beach Boys recorded "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Shutdown."
1970 - In New Orleans, the Grateful Dead were busted for possession of LSD and barbiturates.
1971 - "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison hit #1 on the UK's pop chart.
1972 - Aretha Franklin sang at Mahalia Jackson's funeral.
2010 - Beyoncé set a Grammy record for females when she won six.