The Web site WikiLeaks begins posting classified U.S. government documents provided by army intelligence analyst Bradley (later Chelsea) Manning. The release of information is believed to be the largest unauthorized release of state secrets in U.S. history.
Browse Historical Events by Month:
What Happened in February?
Emperor ascensions, legendary battles, and assassinations. Discover what happened this month in history. Explore pivotal events from February that helped shape the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns amidst widespread protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
Singer Whitney Houston dies at the age of 48.
A meteor explodes over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring over 1,000 people from its shockwave.
2014, February 7-23
The 2014 Winter Olympics are held in Sochi, Russia.
"Birdman" wins the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 87th Academy Awards.
Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana at the first meeting between Catholic and Russian Orthodox church heads for nearly 1,000 years.
Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court dies at the age of 79.
Super Bowl LI sees the New England Patriots come back from a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons.
2018, February 9-25
The 2018 Winter Olympics are held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Super Bowl LIV sees the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers.
The U.S. Senate acquits President Donald Trump of impeachment charges on both articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress made by the House of Representatives in December 2019.
The World Health Organization names officially names the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the virus that causes it. The first case of COVID -19 had been confirmed On January 20, 2020, a day after 35-year-old man presented to an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington, with a 4-day history of cough and subjective fever. He disclosed that he had returned to Washington State on January 15 after traveling to visit family in Wuhan, China. More
Myanmar's military seizes power in a coup, on Februay 1, 2021, detaining civilian leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi.
The International Criminal Court's jurisdiction is extended to cover war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, angering Israel.
Myanmar experiences widespread internet shutdowns as the military government tightens control following the coup.
The U.S. Senate acquits former President Donald Trump on an impeachment charge of inciting an insurrection.The acquittal comes more than a month after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers were counting the electoral results that certified Trump's loss. Five people died in the riot, including a police officer. Two other officers later killed themselves. The Senate vote was 57 to 43 in favor of conviction including seven Republicans, but it was short of the two-thirds majority, or 67 votes, required to convict. It was the second time Trump was acquitted in an impeachment trial.
WHO approves the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, aiding global vaccination efforts.
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully lands on Mars, beginning its mission to explore the planet's surface.
NASA's Mars rover, Perseverance, lands successfully on Mars, beginning its mission to search for signs of ancient life.