Napoleon Bonaparte marries Josephine de Beauharnais, on March 9, 1796 in a civil ceremony in Paris, marking the beginning of their tumultuous 13 year marriage marred by jealousy, infidelity and immense pressure to produce an heir. The couple divorced in 1810, but maintained a close bond until her death in 1814.
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On This Day in History: February 9
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on February 9th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The U.S. House of Representatives elects John Quincy Adams as the 6th President of the United States on February 9, 1825, after no candidate received the required 131 electoral votes in the 1824 election. Adams was elected on the first ballot, despite Andrew Jackson winning the most popular and electoral votes.
The election was followed with "corrupt bargain" accusations when Speaker of the House, Henry Clay, the fourth place presidential candidate, agreed to support Adams and was appointed Secretary of State by Adams. This was one of three elections (1800, 1824, 1876) where the House decided the presidency, resulting in a fractured administration and the 1828 victory of Andrew Jackson. More
The British invasion of the Kingdom of Benin, a powerful, highly organized West African state in modern-day Nigeria, begins on February 9, 1897. The operation was named the Benin Punitive Expedition and part of its objectives was to capture the Benin Oba.
The British invasion force of about 1,200 Royal Marines, sailors and Niger Coast Protectorate Forces. eventually captured Benin City on February 18, 1897 and went on to burn it, sacked the palace, looting over 2,500 bronze, ivory, and wood artifacts, which were then taken to Britain. Benin, was absorbed into the British Niger Coast Protectorate and eventually into British colonial Nigeria. More
The Sylmar magnitude 6.6 earthquake strikes Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 1971 at 6 AM. Transportation infrastructure was significantly damaged around the Los Angeles area, with bridges and highway exits collapsing during the earthquake.
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) declares on February 9, 1996 an end to its 18-month cessation of military operations in Northern Ireland as of 6pm the same day.
2018, February 9-25
The 2018 Winter Olympics are held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. from February 9–25, 2018, with some events beginning on February 8.