February 3
From Metapedia
[edit] Events
- 1783 - American Revolutionary War: Spain recognizes United States independence.
- 1787 - Shays' Rebellion is crushed.
- 1809 - The Illinois Territory is created.
- 1870 - The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, granting voting rights to citizens regardless of race.
- 1913 - The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, authorizing the Federal government to impose and collect an income tax.
- 1945 - World War II: The Soviet Union agrees to enter the Pacific Theatre conflict against Japan.
- 1945 - World War II: As part of Operation Thunderclap, 1,000 B-17's of the Eighth Air Force bomb Berlin.
- 1958 - Founding of the Benelux Economic Union, creating a testing ground for a later European Economic Community.
- 1969 - In Cairo, Yasser Arafat is appointed Palestine Liberation Organization leader at the Palestinian National Congress.
- 1989 - After a stroke, P.W. Botha resigns party leadership and the presidency of South Africa.
- 1989 - A military coup overthrows Alfredo Stroessner, dictator of Paraguay since 1954.
[edit] Births
- 1807 - Joseph E. Johnston, Confederate general (d. 1891)
- 1887 - Georg Trakl, pre-eminent Austrian poet. (d. 1914)
- 1894 - Norman Rockwell, American illustrator (d. 1978)
[edit] Deaths
- 1924 - Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, Nobel laureate (b. 1856)
