Final answer:
The earliest date among the options given is Jan. 24, 1896.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earliest date among the options given is Jan. 24, 1896. This can be determined by comparing the dates provided in the question. Jan. 24, 1896 falls before Feb. 19, 1896, Jan. 29, 1896, Jan. 28, 1988, and Feb. 19, 1986. Among the listed dates, Jan. 24, 1896 (Option E) stands as the earliest date. When comparing the dates chronologically, the month of January precedes February. Within January, Jan. 24 comes before Jan. 28 and Jan. 29. Additionally, when looking at the years, 1896 is the year common to both Jan. 24 and Jan. 29. Since Jan. 24 falls before Jan. 29 within the same month and year, it is the earliest date presented in the options. This basic understanding of calendar chronology allows us to determine that Jan. 24, 1896, precedes all the other provided dates, establishing it as the earliest among the options listed.