The Tokyo Skytree was completed, becoming the tallest tower in the world
Standing at 634 meters (2,080 feet), the broadcasting and observation tower surpassed the Canton Tower in China. The height was chosen to be easily re...
February 29 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2012
1996
The Siege of Sarajevo officially ended after 1,425 days
MajorThe longest siege of a capital city in modern warfare finally concluded when Bosnian Serb forces lifted their blockade. During the siege, over 11,000...
1988
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was arrested in Cape Town while attempting to present a petition against apartheid
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was leading a group of clergy to present an anti-apartheid petition to Parliament when South African police arrested hi...
1984
Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau announced his retirement from politics
After taking his famous 'walk in the snow,' Trudeau decided to step down after 15 years as prime minister. His son Justin Trudeau would later become p...
1964
Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser won her third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 100m freestyle
At the Tokyo Olympics held in 1964, Fraser became the first swimmer ever to win the same Olympic event three times in a row. She also set a new world...
1960
The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago
Hugh Hefner's first Playboy Club featured waitresses dressed as 'Bunnies' in the now-iconic costume. The club became a cultural phenomenon, with membe...
1940
Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to win an Academy Award
MajorMcDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in 'Gone with the Wind' at the 12th Academy Awards ceremony held at the Ambassador Hotel in...
1936
The first social security checks were issued in the United States
MajorAs part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, the first monthly retirement benefit checks were distributed, marking a revolutionary shift in how Americ...
1892
The United States and Britain signed a treaty to protect fur seals in the Bering Sea
This agreement was one of the first international wildlife conservation treaties, aimed at preventing the extinction of northern fur seals. It restric...
1720
Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden abdicated in favor of her husband
After ruling for just over a year, Queen Ulrika Eleonora voluntarily gave up the Swedish throne to her husband Frederick, who became King Frederick I....
1504
Christopher Columbus used his knowledge of a lunar eclipse to intimidate Jamaican natives into providing food
Stranded in Jamaica and facing starvation, Columbus consulted his almanac and discovered a lunar eclipse would occur on February 29. He told the nativ...
1468
Pope Paul II decreed that Jews in Rome must listen to Catholic conversion sermons
This papal bull forced the Jewish community of Rome to attend compulsory sermons aimed at converting them to Christianity. The practice continued for...