Roman emperor Diocletian orders the destruction of the Christian church in Nicomedia, beginning eight years of Diocletianic Persecution.

Roman emperorDiocletianNicomediaDiocletianic Persecution

Byzantine emperor Justinian I orders the building of a new Orthodox Christian basilica in Constantinople - the Hagia Sophia.

Byzantine emperorJustinian IEastern Orthodox ChurchBasilicaConstantinople

Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with movable type.

Gutenberg BibleWestern cultureBookMovable type

Mapuche forces, under the leadership of Lautaro, score a victory over the Spanish at the Battle of Marihueñu in Chile.

MapucheLautaroSpanish EmpireBattle of MarihueñuChile

At York Castle, the outlaw Dick Turpin is identified by his former schoolteacher. Turpin had been using the name Richard Palmer.

York CastleDick Turpin

American Revolutionary War: Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army.

American Revolutionary WarFriedrich Wilhelm von SteubenValley Forge, PennsylvaniaContinental Army

Cato Street Conspiracy: A plot to murder all the British cabinet ministers is exposed.

Cato Street Conspiracy

Texas Revolution: The Siege of the Alamo (prelude to the Battle of the Alamo) begins in San Antonio, Texas.

Texas RevolutionSiege of the AlamoBattle of the AlamoSan Antonio, Texas

Mexican-American War: Battle of Buena Vista: In Mexico, American troops under future president General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Mexican-American WarBattle of Buena VistaZachary TaylorAntonio López de Santa Anna

The official independence of the Orange Free State is declared.

Orange Free State

President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, D.C., after the thwarting of an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland.

Abraham LincolnBaltimore PlotBaltimoreMaryland

Reconstruction Era: Post-U.S. Civil War military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union.

Reconstruction EraAmerican Civil WarMississippiUnion (American Civil War)

Alabama becomes the first U.S. state to enact an anti-trust law.

AlabamaU.S. stateCompetition law

Sino-French War: French Army gains an important victory in the Battle of Đồng Đăng in the Tonkin region of Vietnam.

Sino-French WarBattle of Đồng Đăng (1885)Tonkin

Charles Martin Hall produced the first samples of man-made aluminum, after several years of intensive work. He was assisted in this project by his older sister, Julia Brainerd Hall.

Charles Martin HallAluminumJulia Brainerd Hall

The French Riviera is hit by a large earthquake, killing around 2,000.

French Riviera

Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing "J'accuse", a letter accusing the French government of antisemitism and wrongfully imprisoning Captain Alfred Dreyfus.

Émile ZolaJ'accuseAntisemitismCaptain (OF-2)Alfred Dreyfus

Second Boer War: During the Battle of the Tugela Heights, the first British attempt to take Hart's Hill fails.

Second Boer WarBattle of the Tugela Heights

Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity".

CubaGuantanamo Bay Naval Base

Chicago attorney Paul Harris and three other businessmen meet for lunch to form the Rotary Club, the world's first service club.

Paul P. HarrisRotary ClubService club

The AEA Silver Dart makes the first powered flight in Canada and the British Empire.

AEA Silver DartBritish Empire

First demonstrations in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The beginning of the February Revolution (March 8 in the Gregorian calendar).

Saint PetersburgFebruary RevolutionGregorian calendar

U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signs a bill by Congress establishing the Federal Radio Commission (later replaced by the Federal Communications Commission) which was to regulate the use of radio frequencies in the United States.

Calvin CoolidgeUnited States CongressFederal Radio CommissionFederal Communications Commission

German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg writes a letter to fellow physicist Wolfgang Pauli, in which he describes his uncertainty principle for the first time.

Theoretical physicsWerner HeisenbergWolfgang PauliUncertainty principle

Leopold III becomes King of Belgium.

Leopold III of BelgiumBelgium

Plutonium is first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg.

PlutoniumGlenn T. Seaborg

World War II: Japanese submarines fire artillery shells at the coastline near Santa Barbara, California.

World War IIEmpire of JapanBombardment of EllwoodSanta Barbara, California

A fire breaks out at Saint Joseph's Orphanage, County Cavan, Ireland, killing 35 children and one adult.

County Cavan

Greek Resistance: The United Panhellenic Organization of Youth is founded in Greece.

Greek ResistanceUnited Panhellenic Organization of Youth

The Soviet Union begins the forced deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people from the North Caucasus to Central Asia.

Soviet UnionOperation Lentil (Caucasus)ChechensIngush peopleNorth Caucasus