On This Day
What Happened on February 18 in History
8 events that happened on February 18, oldest first. Every entry is written in our own words and links to its source.
The Young Republic and the Civil War Era
1861
Jefferson Davis is sworn in as provisional president of the Confederacy in Montgomery, Alabama.
Delegates from the seceded Southern states had chosen the former Mississippi senator days earlier. He took the oath on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol, about two weeks before Abraham Lincoln's inauguration in Washington.
1878
The killing of rancher John Tunstall sets off the Lincoln County War in New Mexico Territory.
Tunstall was shot by members of a posse tied to a rival business faction. His death led to months of violence between armed groups, in which a young Billy the Kid fought on Tunstall's side.
Source: history.com
The Early 1900s and the World Wars
1927
The United States and Canada establish direct diplomatic relations.
Until then, Canada's dealings with Washington had been handled largely through Britain. The exchange of envoys marked a step in Canada's growing independence in foreign affairs, and the first American minister went to Ottawa later that year.
Source: history.state.gov; millercenter.org
1930
Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto at Lowell Observatory in Arizona.
The young astronomer spotted a faint moving dot while comparing photographic plates taken weeks apart. Pluto was counted as the ninth planet until astronomers reclassified it as a dwarf planet in 2006.
Source: history.com; origins.osu.edu
The Cold War
1981
President Ronald Reagan presents his economic recovery plan to a joint session of Congress.
Less than a month into his term, Reagan called for deep cuts in income taxes and domestic spending along with a buildup in defense. The program, often called Reaganomics, shaped the budget battles of the early 1980s.
Source: presidency.ucsb.edu; millercenter.org
The Modern Era
2003
An arson attack on a subway train in Daegu, South Korea, kills nearly 200 people.
A man set fire to a container of flammable liquid inside a car, and the flames spread to a second train that pulled into the station. The disaster led to new fire safety rules for subway systems in South Korea.
Source: history.com
2008
The United States formally recognizes Kosovo as an independent state.
One day after Kosovo's declaration, President George W. Bush wrote to its president to offer recognition, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced that the two countries would establish diplomatic relations. Several major European countries took the same step within days.
Source: georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov; history.state.gov
2021
NASA's Perseverance rover lands in Jezero Crater on Mars.
The rover was sent to search for signs of ancient microbial life and to collect rock samples for a possible return to Earth. It also carried Ingenuity, a small helicopter that later made the first powered flight on another planet.
Source: science.nasa.gov