The Battle of Karnal is fought on February 24, 1739, between Nader Shah of Persia and the Mughal Emperor of India, Muhammad Shah; resulting in a decisive victory for Persia's smaller but better- rained forces. The victory weakened the Mughal Empire, lead to the sack of Delhi and eventually to British control.
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Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material.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.
The French defeat the Austrians at the Battle of Campo Santo on February 8, 1743, during the War of the Austrian Succession.
Sweden introduces the Gregorian calendar, shifting from the old-style Julian calendar on February 18, 1753, by skipping 11 days, making the next day March 1.
The Treaty of Paris is signed on February 10, 1763, formally ending the Seven Years' War (and the French and Indian War) between Great Britain, France, and Spain and transferring Canada from France to Britain.
The first American chartered fire insurance company, the Philadelphia Contributionship, is formally incorporated by Benjamin Franklin and other members of Philadelphia's firefighting community.
It had been founded earlier in 1752 to provide security in a rapidly growing city, as fire risks were high, particularly in crowded areas. It operated as a mutual company, it was established to protect citizens from fire hazards by offering 7-year policies and, famously, marking insured homes with a "Hand in Hand" emblem. It is the longest-tenured insurance company in the United States. It is now part of a corporate structure under The Philadelphia Contributionship Mutual Holding Company.
The Treaty of Alliance between France as the United States is signed on February 6, 1778, immediately after the Treaty of Amity and Commerce; making France the first nation to formally recognize the U.S. as a sovereign nation.
The Spanish and French blockade of Gibraltar ends on February 7, 1783, after nearly 3.5 years of conflict resulting in a British victory as they retain the crucial Mediterranean naval base of Gibraltar.
Massachusetts ratifies the Articles of Confederation becoming the 6th State of the Union.
George Washington is unanimously elected the first president of the United States on February 4, 1789 by all 69 presidential electors representing the 10 states that had ratified the Constitution at the time. John Adams of Massachusetts was elected vice president.
He was inaugurated as the first U.S. president on April 30, 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City. (the nation's capital at the time). Chancellor of New York Robert R. Livingston administered the oath of office to Washington. Following the oath, Washington delivered the first presidential inaugural address in the Senate Chamber which waws witnessed by a large crowd; setting the precedent for future U.S. presidential inaugurations. More
The first session of the Supreme Court of the United States was held at the Exchange Building in New York City, which was the nation's capital at the time on February 1, 1790.
Only three of the six appointed Justices; Chief Justice John Jay, John Cushing, and James Wilson arrived on time, delaying the start until a quorum was reached the following day. The inaugural session was primarily organizational and there were no cases on the docket. New York City served as the temporary capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790.
France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands, on February 1, 1793 expanding the French Revolutionary Wars and marking the beginning of the War of the First Coalition. The execution of French King Louis XVI on January 21, 1793, led other European monarchies such as Britain and other powers to form the coalition to contain the spread of the revolution.
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.
The U.S. House of Representatives elects Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States on February 17, 1801, and Aaron Burr as the Vice President, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another.
The election went to the House because the original electoral results were Jefferson 73, Burr 73, Adams 65 and Pinckney 64. and the tie had to be resolved because the Constitution did not distinguish between candidates for the presidency and vice presidency. This election led to the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution which declared separate voting for presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The Constitutional Amendment was ratified in 1804. The New Vice president, Aaron Burr is also remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton,, his political rival in a duel in 1804 while still in office.
The U.S. States Supreme Court establishes its power of judicial review in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison, decided on February 24, 1803; declaring it has the authority to review and strike down acts of Congress and Executive actions that violate the Constitution.
This decision affirmed the system of checks and balances, establishing the Supreme Court's power to check the legislative and executive branches as the final interpreter of the Constitution and a co-equal branch of government.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major Op. 93, premieres on February, 27, 1814 in Vienna, Austria. Ludwig at the Grosser Redoutensaal. Beethoven, despite his increasing deafness, conducted the orchestra himself for this performance.
Napoleon's escapes from Elba on February 26, 1815, where he was exiled after his forced abdication as French emperor in 1814, and begins his "Hundred Days" rule.
Napoleon gathered support in route to Paris, retook power on March 20 as ruler of France and wage war against the English and Prussian armies. All ending in his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18 1815. More
Chile formally declares independence from Spain, on February 12, 1818, the first anniversary of the pivotal victory over the Spanish at Chacabuco by the forces of Argentinian Jose San Martin and Chilean Bernardo O'Higgins. The signing of the Act of Independence by Supreme Director Bernardo O'Higgins took place in Talca.
This was followed by the decisive victory over the Spanish in April 1818 at the Battle of Maipú. Chile's independence was formally recognized by Spain in 1844, when full diplomatic relations were established.
Chile's official Independence Day, known as Fiestas Patrias or "El Dieciocho," is celebrated on September 18th, commemorating the formation of its First Governing Junta in 1810, which started its independence process from Spain.
The Adams–Onís Treaty is signed on February 22, 1819, whereby Spain ceded East Florida and renounced all claim to West Florida. Spain received no direct compensation, but the United States agreed to assume liability for $5 million in damage done by American citizens who rebelled against Spain.
The Treaty, ratified in 1821 also defined the western limits of the Louisiana Purchase and Spain surrendered of its claims to the Pacific Northwest. In return, the United States recognized Spanish sovereignty over Texas.
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 Treaty of Yandabo is signed on on February 24, 1826,, ending the First Anglo-Burmese War and ceding Assam, Manipur, and Arakan to Britain.