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.
On February 5, 1945, the US began a secret operation to overthrow Hitler with postage stamps.
John Marshall began his 34-year career as chief justice of the Supreme Court on February 4, 1801. During that time, Marshall participated in more than 1,000 decisions and authored more than 500 opinions.
On February 3, 1690, the Massachusetts Bay Colony issued the first paper money in America. Known as a “bill of credit,” it was a popular experiment that was quickly put into use in the other colonies.
Ayn Rand was born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum on February 2, 1905, in St. Petersburg, Russian Empire. A best-selling author, she also developed the philosophical system of Objectivism.
Actor William Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901, in Cadiz, Ohio. Appearing in over 60 films during his 37-year career, he was known as “The King of Hollywood.”
On January 31, 1961, Mercury-Redstone 2 launched Ham the Chimp into space. It was an important step in a program aimed at getting the first American in space.
On January 30, 1968, the North Vietnamese Army launched a surprise attack on South Vietnam during the Tet (New Year) holiday truce. The offensive was largely considered a failure for the North Vietnamese as they didn’t meet any of their objectives.
On January 29, 1861, Kansas was admitted to the Union as America was on the brink of Civil War.