February 11

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 323 days remaining until the end of the year (324 in leap years).

[edit] Events

660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. 55 - Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Emperorship, dies under mysterious circumstances in Rome. This clears the way for Nero to become Emperor. 1531 - Henry VIII of England is recognized as supreme head of the Church of England. 1659 - The assault on Copenhagen by Swedish forces is beaten back with heavy losses. 1752 - Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the United States, opens. 1790 - Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, petitions U.S. Congress for abolition of slavery. 1794 - First session of United States Senate open to the public. 1808 - Anthracite coal is first burned as fuel, experimentally. 1809 - Robert Fulton took out a patent for improvements to steamboat navigation 1812 - Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry gerrymanders for the first time. 1814 - Norway's independence is proclaimed, marking the ultimate end of the Kalmar Union. 1826 - University College London is founded under the name University of London. 1840 - Gaetano Donizetti's opera La Fille du Régiment receives its first performance in Paris. 1843 - Giuseppe Verdi's opera I Lombardi receives its first performance in Milan. 1855 - Kassa Hailu is crowned Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia, by Abuna Salama III in a ceremony at the church of Derasge Maryam. 1858 - The Blessed Virgin Mary reputedly appears to Saint Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes. 1861 - American Civil War: United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state. 1873 - King Amadeus I of Spain abdicates. 1889 - Meiji constitution of Japan is adopted; the first Diet of Japan convenes in 1890. 1895 - The lowest ever UK temperature of -27.2°C is recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire. This record was equalled on 10 January 1982 and again on 30 December 1995. 1902 - Police assault universal suffrage demonstrators in Brussels. 1903 - Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony receives its first performance in Vienna. 1905 - Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer nos. 1916 - Emma Goldman is arrested for lecturing on birth control. 1919 - Friedrich Ebert (SPD), is elected President of Germany. 1929 - Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty. 1937 - A sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United Auto Workers Union. 1938 - BBC Television produces the world's first ever science fiction television program, an adaptation of a section of the Karel Capek play R.U.R., which coined the term "robot". 1939 - Lockheed P-38 flies from California to New York in 7 hours 2 minutes. 1941 - First Gold record is presented to Glenn Miller for "Chattanooga Choo Choo". 1942 - The Battle of Bukit Timah is fought in Singapore during World War II. 1943 - World War II: General Dwight Eisenhower is selected to command the allied armies in Europe. 1948 - John Costello succeeds Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach of Ireland. 1953 - President Dwight Eisenhower refuses clemency appeal for Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. 1953 - The Soviet Union breaks off diplomatic relations with Israel. 1963 - Julia Child's show The French Chef premieres. 1964 - Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol, Cyprus. 1964 - The Republic of China (Taiwan) breaks off diplomatic relations with France. 1964 - The Beatles hold their first concert in the United States at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C. 1968 - Israeli-Jordanian border clashes. 1971 - Eighty-seven countries, including the US, UK, and USSR, sign the Seabed Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons in international waters. 1973 - Vietnam War: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place. 1978 - Censorship: the People's Republic of China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, Shakespeare and Dickens. 1979 - Islamic revolution of Iran achieves victory under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. 1981 - 100,000 gallons (380 m³) of radioactive coolant leak into the containment building of TVA Sequoyah 1 nuclear plant in Tennessee, contaminating 8 workers. 1987 - Philippines constitution goes into effect. 1990 - Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner for 27 years, is freed from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa. 1990 - Buster Douglas KO's "Iron" Mike Tyson in Tokyo, Japan. 1991 - UNPO, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, forms in The Hague, Netherlands. 1997 - Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. 2007 - In Portugal, a national referendum legalizes non-therapeutic abortion when requested by the woman during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. 2008 - In East Timor, assassination attempts were made on Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos-Horta. Both failed.

[edit] Births

1377 - King Ladislas of Naples (d. 1414) 1380 - Gianfrancesco Poggio Bracciolini, Italian humanist (d. 1459) 1466 - Elizabeth of York, wife of Henry VII of England (d. 1503) 1535 - Pope Gregory XIV (d. 1591) 1568 - Honoré d'Urfé, French writer (d. 1625) 1649 - William Carstares, Scottish minister (d. 1715) 1657 - Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, French scientist and man of letters (d. 1757) 1755 - Albert Christoph Dies, German composer (d. 1822) 1764 - Marie-Joseph de Chenier, French poet (d. 1811) 1774 - Hans Järta, Swedish political activist (d. 1847) 1776 - Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greek diplomat of the Russian Empire and first head of state of independent Greece (d. 1831) 1799 - Basil Moreau, French Founder priest (d. 1873) 1800 - William Henry Fox Talbot, English photographer and inventor (d. 1877) 1802 - Lydia Maria Child, American abolitionist (d. 1880) 1812 - Alexander Hamilton Stephens, American politician (d. 1883) 1813 - Otto Ludwig, German writer and critic (d. 1865) 1819 - Samuel Parkman Tuckerman, American composer (d. 1890) 1821 - Auguste-Édouard Mariette, French Egyptologist (d. 1881) 1830 - Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff, Prussian musician (d. 1913) 1833 - Melville Weston Fuller, 8th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1910) 1839 - Josiah Willard Gibbs, American physicist (d. 1903) 1847 - Thomas Alva Edison, American inventor (d. 1931) 1860 - Rachilde, French author (d. 1953) 1869 - Helene Kroller-Muller, Dutch museum founder (d. 1939) 1869 - Else Lasker-Schüler, German writer (d. 1945) 1873 - Feodor Chaliapin, Russian singer (d. 1938) 1874 - Fritz Bennicke Hart, English-born composer (d. 1949) 1874 - Elsa Beskow, Swedish author (d. 1953) 1887 - John van Melle, South African writer (d. 1953) 1890 - David Drummond, Australian politician (d. 1965) 1891 - J.W. Hearne English cricketer (d. 1965) 1894 - Alfonso Leng, Chilean composer (d. 1974) 1898 - Leó Szilárd, Hungarian-born physicist (d. 1964) 1900 - Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher (d. 2002) 1900 - Josei Toda, Japanese educator (d. 1958) 1901 - Roddy Connolly, Irish politician, son of James Connolly (d. 1980) 1902 - Arne Jacobsen, Danish architect (d. 1971) 1903 - Hans Redlich, Austrian composer (d. 1968) 1904 - Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1983) 1908 - Philip Dunne, American screenwriter, director and producer (d. 1992) 1908 - Vivian Ernest Fuchs, English geologist (d. 1999) 1909 - Max Baer, American boxer and actor (d. 1959) 1909 - Joseph L. Mankiewicz, American director (d. 1993) 1912 - Roy Fuller, English writer (d. 1991) 1914 - Matt Dennis, American singer (d. 2002) 1915 - Patrick Leigh Fermor, English author 1917 - Sidney Sheldon, American author (d. 2007) 1917 - T. Nagi Reddy, Indian revolutionary (d. 1976) 1919 - Eva Gabor, Hungarian-born actress (d. 1995) 1919 - Eddie Robinson, American football coach (d. 2007) 1920 - King Farouk I of Egypt (d. 1965) 1920 - Billy Halop, American actor (d. 1976) 1920 - Daniel "Chappie" James Jr., American general (d. 1978) 1921 - Lloyd Bentsen, American politician (d. 2006) 1921 - Edward Seidensticker, American scholar (d. 2007) 1925 - Kim Stanley, American actress (d. 2001) 1926 - Paul Bocuse, French chef 1926 - Alexander Gibson, British conductor 1926 - Leslie Nielsen, Canadian actor 1930 - Roy De Forest, American Painter (d. 2007) 1931 - Larry Merchant, American sportswriter 1932 - Jerome Lowenthal, American pianist 1932 - Dennis Skinner, British politician 1934 - Mel Carnahan, American politician (d. 2000) 1934 - Tina Louise, American actress 1934 - Mary Quant, English fashion designer 1934 - John Surtees, MBE, English motorcycle and race car driver 1935 - Bent Lorentzen, Danish composer 1935 - Gene Vincent, American musician (d. 1971) 1936 - Burt Reynolds, American actor 1937 - Bill Lawry, Australian cricketer 1937 - Eddie Shack, Canadian ice hockey player 1938 - Bevan Congdon, New Zealand cricketer 1938 - Simone de Oliveira, Portuguese actress 1938 - Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general 1938 - Bobby "Boris" Pickett, American singer and songwriter (d. 2007) 1939 - Gerry Goffin, American lyricist 1939 - Jane Yolen, American author 1941 - Sergio Mendes, Brazilian musician 1943 - Serge Lama, French singer 1946 - Ian Porterfield, English footballer (d. 2007) 1947 - Joselito, Spanish singer 1947 - Derek Shulman, English musician 1947 - Kikko Matsuoka, Japanese actress 1953 - Philip Anglim, American actor 1953 - Jeb Bush, American politician 1954 - Noriyuki Asakura, Japanese composer 1954 - Wesley Strick, American screenwriter 1956 - H.R., American singer 1956 - Catherine Hickland, American actress 1956 - Didier Lockwood, French violinist 1959 - Roberto Moreno, Brazilian racing driver 1960 - Nick Currie, Scottish musician 1961 - Mary Docter, American speed skater 1961 - Carey Lowell, American actress 1962 - Tammy Baldwin, American politician 1962 - Sheryl Crow, American musician 1962 - Eric Vanderaerden, Belgian cyclist 1963 - José Mari Bakero, Spanish footballer 1963 - Diane Franklin, American actress 1964 - Ken Shamrock, American martial artist 1964 - Sarah Palin, American politician 1965 - Vicki Wilson, Australian netballer 1967 - Uwe Daßler, German swimmer 1967 - Hank Gathers, American basketball player (d. 1990) 1967 - Scott Shay, American linguist 1969 - Jennifer Aniston, American actress 1970 - Fredrik Thordendal, Swedish musician 1971 - Damian Lewis, British actor 1972 - Brian Daubach, American baseball player 1972 - Craig Jones, American musician 1972 - Steve Mcmanaman, English footballer 1972 - Kelly Slater, American surfer 1973 - Ethan Iverson, jazz pianist 1973 - Jeon Do-yeon, Korean actress 1973 - Varg Vikernes, Norwegian musician 1974 - D'Angelo, American singer 1974 - Alex Jones, American radio host 1974 - Zain Verjee, American newsreporter 1975 - Jacque Vaughn, American basketball player 1975 - Andy Lally, American race car driver 1976 - Brice Beckham, American actor 1976 - André Wickström, Finland-Swedish comedian and actor 1977 - Mike Shinoda, American musician, Linkin Park, Fort Minor 1979 - Brandy, American singer and actress 1980 - Marco Bresciano, Australian soccer player 1980 - Titi Buengo, Angolan footballer 1980 - Matthew Lawrence, American actor 1980 - Cormac McAnallen, Northern Irish Gaelic footballer (d. 2004) 1981 - Kelly Rowland, American singer 1981 - Scot Thompson, American soccer player 1982 - Neil Robertson, Australian snooker player 1982 - Natalie Dormer, English actress 1983 - Nicki Clyne, Canadian actress 1983 - Huang Shengyi, Chinese actress 1983 - Rafael Van der Vaart, Dutch footballer 1984 - Matt Good, American musician 1984 - Aubrey O'Day, American singer 1985 - Mike Richards, Canadian ice hockey player 1985 - William Beckett, lead singer of the American rock band The Academy Is... 1990 - Princess Ayah of Jordan 1992 - Taylor Lautner, American actor 1992 - Blair Dunlop, English actor 1994 - Dominic Janes, American actor

[edit] Deaths

641 - Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium 731 - Pope Gregory II 821 - Saint Benedict of Aniane 824 - Pope Paschal I 1141 - Hugo of St. Victor, German philosopher and theologian 1160 - Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Japanese general (b. 1123) 1503 - Elizabeth of York, queen consort of Henry VII of England (b. 1466) 1511 - Henry, Duke of Cornwall, son of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon 1626 - Pietro Cataldi, Italian mathematician (b. 1552) 1650 - René Descartes, French philosopher (b. 1596) 1685 - David Teniers III, Flemish painter (b. 1638) 1713 - Jahandar Shah, Mughal emperor of India (b. 1664) 1755 - Francesco Scipione, marchese di Maffei, Italian archaeologist (b. 1675) 1762 - Johann Tobias Krebs, German composer (b. 1690) 1763 - William Shenstone, English poet (b. 1714) 1797 - Antoine Dauvergne, French composer (b. 1713) 1829 - Alexandr Griboyedov, Russian playwright (b. 1795) 1862 - Elizabeth Siddal, British poet and artist (b. 1829) 1868 - Léon Foucault, French astronomer (b. 1819) 1879 - Honoré Daumier, French caricaturist and painter (b. 1808) 1917 - Oswaldo Cruz, Brazilian physician (b. 1872) 1923 - Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician (b. 1847) 1931 - Charles Algernon Parsons, British inventor (b. 1854) 1939 - Franz Schmidt, Austrian composer (b. 1874) 1940 - John Buchan, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1875) 1945 - Al Dubin, Swiss songwriter (b. 1891) 1948 - Sergei Eisenstein, Latvian film director (b. 1898) 1954 - Adolph M. Christianson, justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court (b. 1877) 1958 - Ernest Jones, British psychonanalyst (b. 1879) 1959 - Marshall Teague, American race car driver (b. 1922) 1963 - Sylvia Plath, American writer (b. 1932) 1968 - Howard Lindsay, American playwright (b. 1888) 1972 - Jan Wils, Dutch architect (b. 1891) 1973 - Hans D Jensen, German physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1907) 1975 - Richard Ratsimandrava, Malagasy soldier and statesman, assassinated (b. 1931) 1976 - Lee J Cobb, American actor (b. 1911) 1976 - Alexander Lippisch, German scientist (b. 1894) 1976 - Frank Arnau, German writer (b. 1894) 1977 - Louis Beel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (b. 1902) 1978 - James B Conant, American chemist and university president (b. 1893) 1978 - Harry Martinson, Swedish writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1904) 1982 - Eleanor Powell, American actress and dancer (b. 1912) 1982 - Takashi Shimura, Japanese actor (b. 1905) 1985 - Ben Abruzzo, American businessman and balloonist (b. 1930) 1985 - Henry Hathaway, American actor and director (b. 1898) 1985 - Heinz Eric Roemheld, American composer (b. 1901) 1986 - Frank Herbert, American author (b. 1920) 1986 - Evelio Javier, Filipino politician, lawyer, and civil servant (b. 1942) 1987 - Sadequain, famous Pakistani painter and artist. (b. 1930) 1989 - George O'Hanlon, American actor and director (b. 1912) 1991 - Robert W. Holley, American biochemist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1922) 1994 - Neil Bonnett, American race car driver (b. 1946) 1994 - Sorrell Booke, American actor (b. 1930) 1994 - William Conrad, American actor (b. 1920) 1996 - Kebby Musokotwane, Prime Minister of Zambia (b. 1946) 1996 - Cyril Poole, English cricketer (b. 1921) 1996 - Amelia Rosselli, Italian poet (b. 1930) 1997 - Barry Evans, English actor (b. 1943) 1997 - Don Porter, American actor (b. 1912) 2000 - Roger Vadim, French director (b. 1928) 2000 - Jacqueline Auriol, French aviatrix (b. 1917) 2002 - Frank Crosetti, baseball player (b. 1910) 2002 - Barry Foster, British actor (b. 1931) 2004 - Shirley Strickland, Australian athlete (b. 1925) 2005 - Jack L. Chalker, American author (b. 1944) 2006 - Jockey Shabalala, South African singer (b. 1943) 2006 - Peter Benchley, American author (b. 1940) 2006 - Jackie Pallo, wrestler (b. 1926) 2007 - Marianne Fredriksson, Swedish author (b. 1927) 2008 - Tom Lantos, member of the United States House of Representatives (b. 1928) 2008 - Frank Piasecki, American aeronautical designer (b. 1919)

[edit] Holidays and observances

[edit] External links