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Old clock in sand with the words: It Happend in February

View Historical Events by Day: What Happened on February 20 in History?

Explore the historical events that shaped our world on February 20th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.

1400 CE, February 20

Battle of Erquelinnes: Armies of the County of Hainaut and the Duchy of Brabant engage in conflict, marking the start of the Brabant Revolution.

1413 CE, February 20

Henry V becomes King of England upon the death of his father, Henry IV.

1493 CE, February 20

Explorer Christopher Columbus arrives back in Lisbon, Portugal, following his first voyage to the Americas.

1498 CE, February 20

Vasco da Gama's fleet reaches Mozambique during his voyage to India, exploring the East African coast.

1873 CE, February 20

University College London becomes the first university in England to admit women.

1939 CE, February 20

A Nazi rally with more than 20,000 people was held at the Madison Square Garden. It was sponsored by the German American Bund, an organization with headquarters in Manhattan and thousands of members across the United States. The stage had a large image of Washington hung between American flags — and swastikas. Their vision for America was a combination of white supremacy, fascist ideology and American patriotism. More

1962 CE, February 20

John H. Glenn, Jr., one of NASA’s original seven Mercury astronauts, becomes the first American to orbit Earth, circling it three times. Glenn went on to become a U.S. Senator in 1974. More