On This Day
What Happened on February 6 in History
9 events that happened on February 6, oldest first. Every entry is written in our own words and links to its source.
Colonial America and the Revolution
1778
France and the United States sign treaties of alliance and commerce in Paris.
After the American victory at Saratoga, France formally recognized the new nation and agreed to fight alongside it against Britain. French troops, money and warships proved vital to winning the Revolutionary War.
Source: history.com; avalon.law.yale.edu
1788
Massachusetts becomes the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
The vote at the state convention was close, 187 to 168. Supporters won over doubters by agreeing to recommend amendments to the new Congress, an approach that helped lead to the Bill of Rights.
Source: mass.gov; constitutioncenter.org
The Young Republic and the Civil War Era
1862
Union forces capture Fort Henry on the Tennessee River.
Gunboats under Andrew Foote shelled the fort into surrender before Ulysses S. Grant's troops arrived. The victory opened the river to Union forces and set up Grant's capture of nearby Fort Donelson ten days later.
Source: battlefields.org
1899
The U.S. Senate ratifies the Treaty of Paris, ending the Spanish-American War.
The vote was 57 to 27, barely more than the two-thirds needed. The treaty gave the United States Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, which set off a fierce national debate over empire.
Source: pbs.org; millercenter.org
The Early 1900s and the World Wars
1919
Tens of thousands of workers walk off the job as the Seattle General Strike begins.
Unions across the city joined shipyard workers in a strike that shut down much of Seattle for five days. It was the first citywide general strike in the United States and fed fears of radicalism during the Red Scare.
Source: depts.washington.edu
The Cold War
1952
Princess Elizabeth becomes queen when her father, King George VI, dies in his sleep.
Elizabeth II learned the news while on a trip to Kenya. She went on to reign for more than 70 years, longer than any other British monarch.
Source: history.com; archive.nytimes.com
1958
A plane carrying the Manchester United soccer team crashes on takeoff in Munich.
The team was flying home from a European Cup match in Belgrade when the airliner failed to take off from a slushy runway. Eight players were among those who died, and the club rebuilt under manager Matt Busby, a survivor.
Source: history.com
1985
Ronald Reagan pledges support for anti-communist movements worldwide in his State of the Union address.
Reagan said the United States must stand by people risking their lives against Soviet-backed governments, an idea that became known as the Reagan Doctrine. It shaped U.S. aid to rebels in Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Angola.
Source: history.com; millercenter.org
The Modern Era
2018
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, then the most powerful rocket in operation, makes its first flight.
The rocket lifted off from NASA's Launch Complex 39A in Florida carrying a Tesla Roadster as a test payload. Its two side boosters landed back at Cape Canaveral side by side.
Source: nasa.gov; patrick.spaceforce.mil