705 – Empress Wu Zetian abdicates the throne, restoring the Tang dynasty.
1632 – Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems is published.
1847 – Mexican-American War: The Battle of Buena Vista: Five thousand American troops defeat 15,000 Mexicans troops.
1853 – Washington University in St. Louis is founded as Eliot Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
1862 – Jefferson Davis is officially inaugurated for a six-year term as the President of the Confederate States of America in Richmond, Virginia. He was previously inaugurated as a provisional president on February 18, 1861.
1879 – In Utica, New York, Frank Woolworth opens the first of many of five-and-dime Woolworth stores.
1909 – The sixteen battleships of the Great White Fleet, led by USS Connecticut, return to the United States after a voyage around the world.
Teddy Roosevelt wished to show the world the might of the US Navy and also wanted to find out what condition the fleet would be in after such a transit. As he stated before the fleet’s departure, “I want all failures, blunders and shortcomings to be made apparent in time of peace and not in time of war.” To read a colorful report of the ’round the world’ cruise by the Great White Fleet’, click here
1924 – President Calvin Coolidge becomes the first President to deliver a radio address from the White House.
1958 – Egypt and Syria join to form the United Arab Republic.
1973 – Cold War: Following President Richard Nixon’s visit to the People’s Republic of China, the two countries agree to establish liaison offices.
1974 – The Organization of the Islamic Conference summit begins in Lahore, Pakistan. Thirty-seven countries attend and twenty-two heads of state and government participate. It also recognizes Bangladesh.
1980 – Miracle on Ice: In Lake Placid, New York, the United States hockey team defeats the Soviet Union hockey team 4-3.
1994 – Aldrich Ames and his wife are charged by the United States with spying for the Soviet Union.
1995 – The Corona reconnaissance satellite program, in existence from 1959 to 1972, is declassified.
2006 – At least six men stage Britain’s biggest robbery, stealing £53m (about $92.5 million or €78 million) from a depot in Tonbridge, Kent.
2011 – New Zealand’s second deadliest earthquake strikes Christchurch, killing 185 people.
Births
1732 – George Washington, First President of the United States (d. 1799)
1810 – Frédéric Chopin, Polish pianist and composer (d. 1849)
1892 – Edna St. Vincent Millay, American poet and playwright (d. 1950)
1900 – Luis Buñuel, Spanish-Mexican director and producer (d. 1983)
1925 – Edward Gorey, American illustrator and poet (d. 2000)
1932 – Ted Kennedy, politician (d. 2009)
1949 – Niki Lauda, Austrian race car driver
Deaths
1512 – Amerigo Vespucci, Italian cartographer and explorer (b. 1454)
1890 – John Jacob Astor III, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1822)
1965 – Felix Frankfurter, Austrian-American lawyer and jurist (b. 1882)
1987 – Andy Warhol, American painter and photographer (b. 1928)
2002 – Chuck Jones, American animator, producer (b. 1912)
