On This Day in History February 2 Historical Events 1653 New Amsterdam becomes a city, later renamed New York City.  1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican–American War. Mexico loses 55 percent of its territory to the US, including California, Nevada and Utah in exchange for $15 million.  The funeral cortege of Queen Victoria outside St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle 1901 Queen Victoria's funeral takes place in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England.  1922 James Joyce’s novel "Ulysses" is first published by Sylvia Beach in Paris (1,000 copies).  1943 German 6th Army surrenders after the Battle of Stalingrad in a major turning point in Europe during World War II.  1971 General Idi Amin ousts Milton Obote and appoints himself President and Dictator of Uganda.  More Historical Events  Famous Birthdays Talleyrand 1754 - 1838   James Joyce 1882 - 1941   Park Geun-hye 71st Birthday   Shakira 47th Birthday More Famous Birthdays  Famous Deaths Dmitri Mendeleev 1834 - 1907 Sid Vicious 1957 - 1979 Gene Kelly 1912 - 1996 More Famous Deaths  The Hidden Depths of Mark Twain Forced to find a new job when the American Civil War struck the Mississippi river, Samuel Langhorne Clemens turned to writing and Mark Twain was born.  Origin Story of Mark Twain