On this day in History: Brexit becomes official in 2020

The following is a list of 10 significant historical events that happened on January 31:

1606 – Execution of Guy Fawkes and fellow conspirators

Guy Fawkes, involved in the Gunpowder Plot, is executed in London.

1747 – First venereal disease clinic opens

The London Lock Hospital opens as the first clinic dedicated to treating sexually transmitted infections.

1865 – U.S. Congress passes the 13th Amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is passed, abolishing slavery.

1917 – Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare

Germany announces it will sink any ships near Britain, leading to U.S. involvement in World War I.

1943 – The Battle of Stalingrad nears its end

German forces under Field Marshal Paulus surrender to the Soviet Union, marking a key turning point in World War II.

1950 – President Truman announces hydrogen bomb development

U.S. President Harry Truman announces that America will develop the hydrogen bomb during the Cold War.

1958 – The U.S. launches Explorer 1

Explorer 1, the first successful American satellite, is launched, marking the U.S.’s entry into the Space Race.

1968 – The Tet Offensive begins in Vietnam

The North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong launch a large-scale attack on U.S. and South Vietnamese forces, shifting public perception of the Vietnam War.

1990 – First McDonald’s in the Soviet Union opens

A McDonald’s restaurant opens in Moscow, symbolizing the USSR’s openness to Western culture amid the Cold War’s decline.

2020 – Brexit becomes official

The United Kingdom formally leaves the European Union, ending 47 years of membership.