View Historical Events by Day:
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on March 2nd. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. 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Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material.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.
After rounding the Cape of Good Hope during his journey to India, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reaches the Mozambique coast on March 2, 1498. The Mozambique's area was a vital trading hub in the Indian Ocean which was then controlled by Arabs. De Gama continued his trip to India arriving in Calicut, India, on May 20, 1498, completing the first sea voyage from Europe to India.
Charles I dissolves the English Parliament on March 2, 1629, initiating the period known as the Eleven Years' Tyranny; a period of rule without parliamentary consent.
The Great Fire of Meireki destroys a significant portion of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), on March 2, 1657 leading to the rebuilding of the city. The catastrophic blaze, lasted for days and killed an estimated 100,000 people destroying more than half of the city, including parts of Edo Castle.
The Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland is passed, merging the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into a single state, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, effective January 1, 1801.
The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, banning the importation of slaves into the United States.
The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, banning the importation of slaves into the United States.
The importation of slaves into the United States is banned by an act of Congress, taking effect on January 1, 1808, banning the importation of enslaved people into the United States. The law, signed by President Thomas Jefferson, did not end slavery in the U.S. and allowed for the continuation of the domestic slave trade, which increased as the enslaved population grew through natural reproduction.
The Republic of Texas formally declares independence from Mexico at the convention of Washington-on-the-Brazos which was attended by 45 delegates, representing 21 municipalities. Over the next ten days, delegates prepared a constitution for the Republic of Texas; David G. Burnet was elected president.
The new constitution explicitly legalized slavery which Mexico had officially abolished in Texas in 1829. Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845 and became the 28th state on December 29, 1845. On March 2, 1861, Texas becomes the seventh state to secede from the Union. More
The United States Congress passes the first Reconstruction Act, targeting the South for reconstruction after the Civil War. and setting conditions for readmission into the Union after overcoming President Andrew Johnson's veto. Congress passed additional Reconstruction Acts in 1867, and 1868, to implement more efficient government in the Southern states following the Civil War. More
Pioneer 10 is launched to study Jupiter. It was NASA's first mission to the outer planets. The mission was a spectacular success and the spacecraft notched a series of firsts unmatched by any other robotic spacecraft to date. More
