◆ On this day

January 8

3 sourced moments from January 8 in history: The Battle of New Orleans was not fought after the war ended (1815); Herman Hollerith patents the punched-card tabulating machine (1889); and The Mona Lisa Crosses the Atlantic for Its American Debut (1963).

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3 things happened on January 8

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1963 Culture & Arts · Art

The Mona Lisa Crosses the Atlantic for Its American Debut

For the first time, Leonardo's masterpiece left the Louvre for the New World, and Washington lined up for hours to glimpse her.

1889 Technology · Computing & AI

Herman Hollerith patents the punched-card tabulating machine

A clerk frustrated by counting Americans by hand built a machine that read holes in cards, and seeded the company that became IBM.

1815 History · War & Conflict

The Battle of New Orleans was not fought after the war ended

The Treaty of Ghent was signed two weeks before Jackson's victory — but by its own terms the War of 1812 was still on.