On Jan. 7, 1789, America held its first presidential election as voters chose electors who, a month later, selected George Washington to be the nation’s first chief executive.

On this date:

In 1927, commercial transatlantic telephone service was inaugurated between New York and London.

In 1972, Lewis F. Powell, Jr. and William H. Rehnquist were sworn in as the 99th and 100th members of the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1999, for the second time in history, an impeached American president went on trial before the Senate. President Bill Clinton faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; he was acquitted.

In 2004, President George W. Bush proposed legal status, at least temporarily, for millions of immigrants improperly working in the U.S.

In 2019, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was absent from oral arguments as she recuperated from cancer surgery.

Ten years ago: A package addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano ignited at a Washington postal facility, a day after fiery packages sent to Maryland’s governor and state transportation secretary burned the fingers of workers who opened them.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama tore into the National Rifle Association during a televised town hall meeting in Fairfax, Virginia, as he dismissed what he called a “conspiracy” alleging that the federal government — and Obama in particular — wanted to seize all firearms as a precursor to imposing martial law.

One year ago: A magnitude 6.4 earthquake, the strongest to hit Puerto Rico in more than 100 years, killed one person, injured nine others and knocked out power across the U.S. territory. A stampede at the funeral of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in his Iranian hometown of Kerman killed 56 people and injured more than 200. Jury selection began in New York for the rape and sexual assault trial of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein; about a third of the first 120 prospective jurors were sent home after they said they could not be impartial. Neil Peart, the drummer for the influential rock trio Rush, died at the age of 67 at his California home; the band said he had been battling brain cancer.

Today’s Birthdays: Magazine publisher Jann Wenner is 75. Talk show host Katie Couric is 64. Actor Nicolas Cage is 57. Actor Doug E. Doug is 51. Actor Dustin Diamond is 44. Actor Reggie Austin is 42.