TODAY’S HISTORY LESSON – FEB 2
962 Otto I invades Italy and is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
1494 Columbus begins the practice of using Indians as slaves.
1536 The city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was founded by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Mendoza.
1571 All eight members of a Jesuit mission in Virginia are murdered by Indians who pretended to be their friends.
1626 Charles I is crowned King of England. Fierce internal struggles between the monarchy and Parliament characterized 17th century English politics.
1653 New Amsterdam becomes a city (later New York NY)
1848 The Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo formally ends the Mexican War.
1852 The first public flushing toilet is opened in London Using the “Public Waiting Room” at 95 Fleet Street cost 2 pence.
1865 Confederate raider William Quantrill and his bushwackers rob citizens, burn a railroad depot and steal horses from Midway, Kentucky.
1870 The press agencies Havas, Reuter and Wolff sign an agreement whereby between them they can cover the whole world.
1876 The National Baseball League is founded with eight teams.
1887 The first gathering at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsatawney, Pa. to wait for the groundhog’s shadow occurred.
1901 Mexican government troops are badly beaten by Yaqui Indians.
1916 U.S. Senate votes independence for Philippines, effective in 1921.
1925 20 mushers embark on a journey to transport medicine to Nome, Alaska, inspiring the Iditarod Race
1931 1st use of a rocket to deliver mail (Austria)
1948 President Truman urges congress to adopt a civil rights program
1959 Arlington and Norfolk, Va., peacefully desegregate public schools.
1964 Following the success of the Barbie doll for girl, Hasbro launches G.I. Joe, an action figure for boys. G.I. Joe stood for “Government Issue Joe,” there were four originally four figures launched – one for each branch of the Armed Forces.
1972 The British embassy in Dublin is destroyed by crowds throwing fire bombs as retaliation over the shooting dead of 13 people in Londonderry.
1977 Radio Shack officially begins creating the TRS-80 computer
1980 FBI releases details of Abscam, a sting operation that targeted 31 elected & public officials for bribes for political favors
1987 Largest steel strike in American history, in progress since August, ends.
1989 Sky Television Satellite Service launched by Rupert Murdoch’s News International.
** history.net, onthisday.com, infoplease.com, timeanddate.com, thepeoplehistory.com, on-this-day.com **
