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On this day in History Archives
 
At PaulsQuiz.com we aim to provide you with as much information as we possibly can. That's why we have built our On This Day in History section, to do just that. Our database is forever growing, we're adding more and more events from history to help you write your quiz questions.

Simply enter a date using the drop-down boxes below and click the 'Go' button to display events from the past that ocurred on that day.
 

 
20 February, 2005
Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout.
20 February, 2002
In Reqa Al-Gharbiya, Egypt, a fire on a train injures over 65 and kills at least 370.
20 February, 1998
American figure skater Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest gold-medalist at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
20 February, 1991
A gigantic statue of Albanias long-time dictator, Enver Hoxha, is brought down in the Albanian capital, Tirana, by mobs of angry protesters.
20 February, 1987
Unabomber: In Salt Lake City, Utah, a bomb explodes in a computer store.
20 February, 1976
The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization disbands.
20 February, 1965
Ranger 8 crashes into the moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.
20 February, 1962
Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn orbits the earth three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes, becoming the first American to orbit the earth.
20 February, 1959
The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.
20 February, 1952
Emmett Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League.
20 February, 1947
State of Prussia ceases to exist.
20 February, 1944
World War II: The "Big Week" ended with American bomber raids on German aircraft manufacturing centers.
20 February, 1944
World War II: The United States takes Eniwetok Island.
20 February, 1943
American movie studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies.
20 February, 1943
The Parícutin volcano begins to form in Parícutin, Mexico.
20 February, 1942
Lieutenant Edward OHare becomes Americas first World War II flying ace.
20 February, 1935
Caroline Mikkelsen becomes the first woman to set foot in Antarctica.
20 February, 1933
The Congress of the United States proposes the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, which would end Prohibition in the United States.
20 February, 1931
California gets the go-ahead by the U.S. Congress to build the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
20 February, 1913
King OMalley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra.
20 February, 1909
Publication of the Futurist Manifesto in the French journal Le Figaro.
20 February, 1901
The legislature of Hawaii Territory convenes for the first time.
20 February, 1873
The University of California opens its first medical school in San Francisco, California.
20 February, 1872
In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens.
20 February, 1864
American Civil War: Battle of Olustee occurs - the largest battle fought in Florida during the war.
20 February, 1835
Concepción, Chile is destroyed by an earthquake.
20 February, 1816
Gioachino Rossinis The Barber of Seville debuts at Teatro Argentina, with a fiasco.
20 February, 1810
Andreas Hofer, Tyrolean patriot and leader of rebellion against Napoleons forces, was executed.
20 February, 1798
Louis Alexandre Berthier removes Pope Pius VI from power.
20 February, 1792
The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by President George Washington.
20 February, 1547
Edward VI of England is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.
20 February, 1472
Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a dowry payment.

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