January 11: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

The ruins of an ancient lost city were discovered in eastern Ecuador.

It's estimated that the city, which lies in Ecuador's Upano area, was built around 2,500 years ago. The extent of the city suggests the presence of a society as large, or larger than the Aztecs or Mayans.

Diego, a 100-year-old tortoise, was retired from a breeding program after fathering 800+ children.

Diego lived at the San Diego Zoo until 1977, when he was sent to the Galápagos to save his species from extinction. Over the following 43 years, Diego almost single-handedly returned the Galápagos giant turtle population to acceptable levels. Diego has since retired to the island of Española, where he was initially found.

Judge Simon Cowell left American Idol but continued working with FOX on X Factor US.

Cowell said, "I want to leave 'Idol' this year bigger and better than it was in the past." He added, "I'm thrilled that we have put a date on the launch of the US version of 'The X Factor,' and delighted to be continuing to work with Fox."

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling officially finished writing The Deathly Hallows.

It was finished in room 552 at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, UK.

The British-American band, The Pretenders, released their debut album called “Pretenders.”

The album hit number one in the UK charts within its first week.

East Pakistan renamed itself Bangladesh after seceding from Pakistan.

Luther Terry, the US Surgeon General, released a report concluding smoking cigarettes is bad for you.

The report noted a direct link between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer, among other deadly conditions. It was this same report that started the first global anti-smoking campaigns.

Los Angeles was covered in snow for the first time in recorded history.

The first successful administration of insulin to treat diabetes was given to 14-year-old Leonard Thompson.

Insulin is still the only treatment that effectively helps those who have Type 1 diabetes.

The Grand Canyon National Monument was created.

It was the fifteenth site in the US to be named a national park.

Charing Cross Railway Station opened in London, England.

Samuel Morse sent the first telegraph message using Morse code across two miles of wire in New Jersey, USA.

Astronomer Sir William Herschel discovered the first two moons of Uranus, Titania & Oberon.

The first Jewish person was elected in the US.

His name was Francis Salvador, and he lived in South Carolina, where he was elected.

England drew it’s very first lottery outside St Paul’s Cathedral.

Queen Elizabeth I chose to do this lottery as a way to raise money for England's harbors and coastal defenses. The alternative was raising taxes.