1371
Politics
Robert II Crowned King of Scotland
Robert II was crowned King of Scotland at Scone, founding the Stuart dynasty. The Stuarts would eventually rule both Scotland and England for over three centuries.
On This Day in History
1732
Politics
George Washington Is Born
George Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He would lead the Continental Army to victory, preside over the Constitutional Convention, and serve as the first President.
1819
Politics
Adams-Onis Treaty Signed
The United States and Spain signed the Adams-Onis Treaty, by which Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. The treaty also defined the boundary between U.S. and Spanish territory west of the Mississippi.
1862
War & Conflict
Jefferson Davis Inaugurated as Confederate President
Jefferson Davis was formally inaugurated as President of the Confederate States of America in Richmond, Virginia. His inauguration came as the Confederacy was already losing ground militarily.
1879
Invention
Frank Woolworth Opens First Five-Cent Store
Frank Woolworth opened his first 'five-cent store' in Utica, New York. Though the first store failed, his retail concept grew into one of the most successful chains in American history.
1980
Sports
Miracle on Ice at Winter Olympics
The U.S. Olympic hockey team, made up of amateur and college players, defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union 4-3 at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics. It is considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
1997
Science
Dolly the Sheep Cloning Announced
Scientists at the Roslin Institute in Scotland announced the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. The breakthrough raised profound ethical questions about genetic technology.