On February 25th, several landmark events occurred in American history, ranging from the first Black U.S. Senator being sworn in to the birth of the federal income tax.
Political and Legal Milestones
First Black U.S. Senator (1870): Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, was sworn into the U.S. Senate, becoming the first African American to ever sit in Congress. He took over the term originally held by Jefferson Davis.
Federal Income Tax (1913): The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted, establishing the legal basis for Congress to impose a federal income tax.
Presidential Term Limits (1951): The 22nd Amendment, which limits the President of the United States to two terms in office, was ratified.
Supreme Court Rulings: In 1969, the Court ruled to prohibit racial segregation in all transportation facilities (Bailey v. Patterson). In 1976, it ruled that states may ban the hiring of undocumented immigrants.
Science and Innovation
Colt Revolver Patent (1836): Samuel Colt was granted a U.S. patent for his multi-shot revolving cylinder firearm, which allowed for multiple shots without reloading.
Electric Motor Patent (1837): Blacksmith Thomas Davenport received the first U.S. patent for an electric motor.
U.S. Steel (1901): J.P. Morgan organized the U.S. Steel Corporation, which became the first billion-dollar corporation in the world.
Space Exploration (1969): NASA successfully launched the Mariner 6 space probe from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a mission to fly by and study Mars' atmosphere.
Military and War History
Revolutionary War (1779): British forces surrendered Fort Sackville at Vincennes to American General George Rogers Clark, marking a turning point for American control of the western frontier.
The Legal Tender Act (1862): To finance the Civil War, Congress passed this act to authorize the use of paper notes (greenbacks), ending the long-standing policy of using only gold or silver for transactions.
Civil War Naval Milestone (1862): The Union ironclad USS Monitor was commissioned at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
World War II (1943-1944): In 1943, U.S. troops retook the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. In 1944, U.S. forces destroyed 135 Japanese planes in the Marianas and Guam.
Gulf War (2003): Nearly 6,000 U.S. Marines arrived in Kuwait as part of the build-up for operations in Iraq.
Cultural and Sporting Events
Muhammad Ali (1964): Then known as Cassius Clay, the 22-year-old boxer defeated Sonny Liston in a massive upset to claim his first world heavyweight title in Miami.
National Parks: Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in 1919 and Grand Teton National Park in 1929.
Television History (1940): The first televised National Hockey League (NHL) game in the U.S. was broadcast, featuring the New York Rangers defeating the Montreal Canadiens.
World Trade Center Bombing (1993): A truck bomb exploded in the parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring over 1,000.
Notable Births and Deaths
Births: Secretary of State John Foster Dulles (1888), nutritionist Adele Davis (1905), and musician Fats Domino (1928).
Deaths: Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop (2013) and Trayvon Martin (2012), whose death led to the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement.
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