On This Day in History

February 22

Historical Events

303 First official Roman edict for persecution of Christians issued by Emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia, ordering all churches to be closed and scriptures burnt.

1632 Galileo Galilei's book "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems" is published comparing the Copernican and Ptolemaic systems and whether the Earth orbits the sun.

1774 British House of Lords rules authors do not have perpetual copyright.

French troops surrendering to British forces at Goodwick Sands near Fishguard in Wales

1797 The last invasion of Britain, launched by the French during the Revolutionary Wars, begins near Fishguard, Wales.

1825 Russia and Britain establish the Alaska-Canada boundary.

1967 25,000 US and South Vietnamese troops launch Operation Junction City against the Viet Cong. Largest US airborne assault since World War II.

More Historical Events

Famous Birthdays

George Washington 1732 - 1799 Zitkála-Šá 1876 - 1938

Al Gross 1918 - 2000 Steve Irwin 1962 - 2006

Also Robert Baden-Powell, Michael Chang (52) and Drew Barrymore (49).

More Famous Birthdays

Famous Deaths

Amerigo Vespucci 1454 - 1512 Andy Warhol 1928 - 1987

More Famous Deaths

Wonder of Woolworths Begins its Meteoric Rise

It was a simple idea: opening a store where nothing cost more than five cents. The idea caught on so quickly that Woolworth’s became a retail phenomenon.

Woolworths a Retail Phenomenon