On This Day
What Happened on February 24 in History
9 events that happened on February 24, oldest first. Every entry is written in our own words and links to its source.
The Young Republic and the Civil War Era
1803
The Supreme Court decided Marbury v. Madison, establishing the power of judicial review.
Chief Justice John Marshall wrote that courts could refuse to enforce laws that conflict with the Constitution. The ruling became a cornerstone of American constitutional law.
Source: history.com; millercenter.org
1836
William Travis wrote his famous plea for help from the besieged Alamo.
Travis addressed the letter to the people of Texas and all Americans and vowed never to surrender or retreat. The Alamo fell to Mexican forces on March 6.
Source: history.com; tsl.texas.gov
1868
The House of Representatives impeached President Andrew Johnson.
The vote followed Johnson's attempt to remove Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in defiance of the Tenure of Office Act. The Senate later acquitted him by a single vote.
Source: history.com; archive.nytimes.com
1895
Cuba's war of independence against Spain began with uprisings near Santiago de Cuba.
The revolt, inspired by the exile leader Jose Marti, grew into a long and brutal war. U.S. involvement in the conflict led to the Spanish-American War of 1898.
Source: millercenter.org
The Early 1900s and the World Wars
1917
British officials gave the U.S. ambassador in London a copy of the decoded Zimmermann Telegram.
In the message, Germany's foreign secretary proposed an alliance with Mexico if the United States entered World War I. Its publication days later turned American opinion sharply against Germany.
Source: history.com; millercenter.org
The Cold War
1946
Juan Peron was elected president of Argentina.
The former army officer and labor minister built a mass movement among workers. Peronism remained a major force in Argentine politics for decades.
Source: history.com
1988
The Supreme Court ruled in Hustler Magazine v. Falwell that parody of public figures is protected speech.
The justices unanimously threw out damages awarded to the Reverend Jerry Falwell over a crude magazine parody. The decision strengthened First Amendment protection for satire.
Source: history.com; law.cornell.edu
1991
Coalition forces launched the ground offensive of the Persian Gulf War.
After six weeks of air strikes, U.S.-led troops pushed into Kuwait and Iraq. Within about 100 hours Iraqi forces had been driven from Kuwait.
Source: history.com; millercenter.org
The Modern Era
2011
Space Shuttle Discovery launched on its final mission, STS-133.
Discovery carried a storage module and a humanoid robot to the International Space Station. It was retired after landing in March 2011.
Source: nasa.gov