Category: Today in History
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February 27, 1933
Germany’s parliament building in Berlin, the Reichstag, is set on fire; Marinus van der Lubbe, a young Dutch Communist claims responsibility. ㅤThe Reichstag fire, an arson attack on the German parliament building in Berlin on February 27, 1933, occurred just weeks after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor. Dutch council communist Marinus van der Lubbe was apprehended…
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February 26, 1616
Galileo Galilei is formally banned by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the view that the earth orbits the sun. ㅤOn February 19, 1616, the Inquisition’s investigation into Galileo’s advocacy of heliocentrism intensified, as a commission of theologians, the Qualifiers, were asked to evaluate the propositions of the Copernican view. This referral stemmed…
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February 26, 1919
President Woodrow Wilson signs an act of Congress establishing the Grand Canyon National Park. ㅤThe journey to establish Grand Canyon National Park was a protracted process, marked by decades of advocacy and legislative hurdles. While the Grand Canyon’s awe-inspiring beauty had captivated Americans since the late 19th century, with President Theodore Roosevelt famously declaring in…
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February 25, 1933
Launch of the USS Ranger at Newport News, Virginia. It is the first purpose-built aircraft carrier to be commissioned by the US Navy. ㅤThe design of the USS Ranger, the US Navy’s fourth aircraft carrier, began in 1925, marking the Navy’s first opportunity to create a ship specifically built for aviation. Unlike its predecessors, the…
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February 24, 2022
Days after recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, Russian president Vladimir Putin orders a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. ㅤIn February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, marking a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. This conflict, the largest in Europe since World War II, has resulted in significant…
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February 14, 1929
Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre: Seven people, six of them gangster rivals of Al Capone’s gang, are murdered in Chicago. ㅤThe Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre was the brutal killing of seven members and associates of Chicago’s North Side Gang on February 14, 1929. The victims were assembled in a Lincoln Park garage and then gunned down…
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February 14, 1990
The Voyager 1 spacecraft takes the photograph of planet Earth that later becomes famous as Pale Blue Dot. ㅤ”Pale Blue Dot” is a photograph of Earth taken by the Voyager 1 space probe on February 14, 1990, from a distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles). Part of the “Family Portrait” series of…
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January 15, 69 CE
Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaiming himself Emperor of Rome, beginning a reign of only three months ㅤGalba’s reign was short-lived, overthrown by the legions who proclaimed Vitellius as emperor. Otho seized power after Galba’s assassination on January 15, reinstating symbols of Nero’s rule and even mimicking his lifestyle. Despite initial fears, Otho presented himself…
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January 15, 1559
Elizabeth I is crowned Queen of England and Ireland in Westminster Abbey, London. ㅤElizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, reigned over England and Ireland for 44 years. Her path to the throne was marked by turmoil, including her mother’s execution and her own imprisonment under her half-sister, Queen Mary. Despite these challenges, Elizabeth established a…
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January 15, 1967
The first Super Bowl is played in Los Angeles. The Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10. ㅤSuper Bowl I, played on January 15, 1967, marked the first championship game between the NFL and AFL, with the Green Bay Packers facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs. Amidst intense rivalry between the two…
