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).
This Day in History
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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.
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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.
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Operation Cornflakes
On February 5, 1945, the US began a secret operation to overthrow Hitler with postage stamps.
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John Marshall – Longest-Serving Chief Justice
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.
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First Paper Money Issued in America
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.
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Birth of Ayn Rand
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.
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Birth of Clark Gable
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.”
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Mercury-Redstone 2
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.
