All Events

Historical Events on February 19

  • Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

    1594

    Having already been elected to the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1587, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa is crowned King of Sweden, having succeeded his father John III of Sweden in 1592.

  • British Empire

    1819

    British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands and claims them in the name of King George III.

  • Austin, Texas

    1846

    In Austin, Texas the newly formed Texas state government is officially installed. The Republic of Texas government officially transfers power to the State of Texas government following the annexation of Texas by the United States.

  • World War I

    1915

    World War I: The first naval attack on the Dardanelles begins when a strong Anglo-French task force bombards Ottoman artillery along the coast of Gallipoli.

  • World War II

    1942

    World War II: Nearly 250 Japanese warplanes attack the northern Australian city of Darwin, killing 243 people.

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt

    1942

    World War II: United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs executive order 9066, allowing the United States military to relocate Japanese Americans to internment camps.

  • Ezra Pound

    1949

    Ezra Pound is awarded the first Bollingen Prize in poetry by the Bollingen Foundation and Yale University.

  • Cyprus

    1959

    The United Kingdom grants Cyprus independence, which is formally proclaimed on August 16, 1960.

  • NASA

    2002

    NASA's Mars Odyssey space probe begins to map the surface of Mars using its thermal emission imaging system.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on February 19

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on February 19

18. February

20. February