Arizona Becomes 48th State
On February 14, 1912, Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. It would be another 48 years before another state was added to the Union.
This Day in History
Battle of Chipyong-ni Begins
On February 13, 1951, the Battle of Chipyong-ni, sometimes called the “high-water mark” of the Chinese fighting in Korea, began. The American victory boosted morale, who had previously seen the Chinese as unbeatable.
Birth of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky, on February 12, 1809. Despite the lack of a formal education, he became a successful lawyer, politician, and celebrated speaker before taking the nation’s highest office and leading the Union through the Civil War.
First US Inventors’ Day
On February 11, 1983, America celebrated its first Inventors’ Day. The date was selected to coincide with Thomas Edison’s birthday, but it’s a day that recognizes the contributions of all American inventors.
National Geodetic Survey
On February 10, 1807, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation to establish the United States Survey of the Coast. This later became the US Coast and Geodetic Survey and eventually the National Geodetic Survey.
Birth of William Henry Harrison
America’s ninth president, William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773, in Charles City County, Virginia. After delivering the longest inaugural address in history in the freezing cold, he died of pneumonia a month later, serving the shorted term of any president.
College of William and Mary
On February 8, 1693, a royal charter officially established the College of William and Mary. Today it’s the second-oldest college in America (behind Harvard).
Happy Birthday Sinclair Lewis
Harry Sinclair Lewis was born on February 7, 1885, in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. The first American to ever receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, he’s remembered as the conscience of his generation.
Massachusetts Becomes 6th State
On February 6, 1788, Massachusetts ratified the US Constitution, making it the 6th state to join the Union. As part of the ratification process, the state insisted that certain measures concerning individual rights be added to the document, later leading to the creation of the Bill of Rights.