February 23 has been marked by revolutions, innovations, and moments of profound national significance.
Roman Emperor Diocletian issued the first of a series of edicts ordering the persecution of Christians throughout the empire. The Great Persecution was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.
Johannes Gutenberg completed printing of the first major book produced with movable type in Mainz, Germany. The Gutenberg Bible revolutionized the spread of knowledge and marked the beginning of the printing revolution.
Mexican forces under General Santa Anna began the siege of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. The 13-day battle and the defenders' sacrifice became a rallying cry for Texas independence.
President-elect Lincoln arrived in Washington, D.C., under cover of darkness after intelligence uncovered an assassination plot in Baltimore. He was inaugurated without incident nine days later.
Paul P. Harris founded the Rotary Club in Chicago, creating the world's first service club organization. Rotary International now has over 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries.
U.S. Marines raised the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Joe Rosenthal's photograph of the second flag-raising became one of the most iconic images of World War II.
Scottish scientists announced they had cloned a sheep named Dolly from an adult cell, the first successful cloning of a mammal. The announcement sparked worldwide debate about cloning ethics.