1564 ~ Birthday of Galileo Galilei, Tuscan astronomer, father of the scientific method, born in Pisa.

1820 ~ Birthday of Susan B. Anthony, feminist and suffragist.

1874 ~ Birthday of Sir Ernest Shackleton, British polar explorer.

1898 ~ Spanish-American War: The USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana Harbor, for then unknown reasons killing more than 260. This event led the United States to declare war on Spain.

1942 ~ World War II: Singapore surrendered to Japanese forces. About 130,000 Indian, Australian and British troops became prisoners of war. The fall of Singapore was the largest surrender of British military personnel in history.

1965 ~ Death of Nat King Cole, Singer.

1965 ~ A new red and white maple leaf design was adopted as the flag of Canada replacing the old Canadian Red Ensign banner.

1971 ~ Decimalization of British coinage completed on Decimal Day.

1988 ~ Death of Richard Feynman, Physicist.

1989 ~ Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan: The Soviet Union officially announced that all of its troops had left Afghanistan.


Holidays and observances

Canada ~ Flag Day.

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Eudaimonia