February 6
1778 - During the Revolutionary War, the United States won official recognition and military support from France with the signing of a Treaty of Alliance in Paris.
1788 - Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution, becoming the sixth state.
1815 - The state of New Jersey issued the first American railroad charter to John Stevens, who proposed a rail link between Trenton and New Brunswick. (The line, however, was never built.)
1862 - During the Civil War, Fort Henry in Tennessee fell to Union forces.
1899 - The Spanish-American War ended when a peace treaty between Spain and the United States was signed.
1911 - Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, was born in Tampico, Illinois.
1922 - Cardinal Archille Ratti was elected pope and took the name Pius XI.
1933 - The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which set the date for the president's inauguration on Jan. 20, was adopted.
1935 - The popular board game Monopoly went on sale for the first time.
1952 - Britain's King George VI died at age 56; he was succeeded by his 25-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth, who became Queen Elizabeth II.
1998 - President Bill Clinton signed a bill changing the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
2000 - First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton launched her successful candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
2001 - Ariel Sharon was elected prime minister of Israel.
2008 - The Bush administration defended the interrogation technique known as waterboarding, saying it was legal -- not torture as critics argued -- and had saved American lives.
2012 - The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marked the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.
2013 - The U.S. Postal Service proposed eliminating Saturday mail delivery, an announcement that immediately drew protests from some lawmakers.
2018 - Poland’s president signed legislation making it a crime to blame Poland for Holocaust crimes committed by Nazi Germany.
2022 - Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the 70th anniversary of her ascendance to the British throne, an unprecedented reign that made her a symbol of stability as the United Kingdom navigated an age of uncertainty. (She would die seven months later at age 96, with her son Prince Charles becoming King Charles III.)
Birthdays
21 - Shelby Simmons (actress)
25 - Aviva Mongillo (actress)
29 - Charlie Heaton (actor)
29 - Ariel Mortman (actress)
30 - Tinashe (singer)
31 - Nora Fatehi (actress)
35 - Anna Diop (actress)
37 - Alice Greczyn (actress)
38 - Crystal Reed (actress)
39 - Brandon Hammond (actor)
43 - Ben Lawson (actor)
46 - Josh Stewart (actor)
50 - Amy Robach (news anchor)
57 - Rick Astley (singer)
61 - Richie McDonald (singer)
61 - Axl Rose (singer)
63 - Megan Gallagher (actress)
65 - Barry Miller (actor)
66 - Robert Townsend (actor)
66 - Kathy Najimy (actress)
67 - Jon Walmsley (actor)
78 - Michael Tucker (actor)
80 - Gayle Hunnicutt (actress)
83 - Tom Brokaw (news anchor)
84 - Mike Farrell (actor)
92 - Mamie Van Doren (actress)
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Today in Sports History - February 6
1926 - The National Football League adopted a rule that made players ineligible for competition until their college class graduated.
1958 - Ted Williams signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox that was worth $135,000. The contract made him the highest paid player in major league history.
1970 - The NBA expanded to 18 teams for the 1970-71 season. The new teams added were Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Portland.
1990 - Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) and his father Bobby Hull, became the only father-son combination in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season.
1993 - Tennis hall of famer Arthur Ashe died in New York at age 49.
2005 - The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 to win Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years.
2011 - The Green Bay Packers defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 to win Super Bowl XLV.
1778 - During the Revolutionary War, the United States won official recognition and military support from France with the signing of a Treaty of Alliance in Paris.
1788 - Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution, becoming the sixth state.
1815 - The state of New Jersey issued the first American railroad charter to John Stevens, who proposed a rail link between Trenton and New Brunswick. (The line, however, was never built.)
1862 - During the Civil War, Fort Henry in Tennessee fell to Union forces.
1899 - The Spanish-American War ended when a peace treaty between Spain and the United States was signed.
1911 - Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, was born in Tampico, Illinois.
1922 - Cardinal Archille Ratti was elected pope and took the name Pius XI.
1933 - The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which set the date for the president's inauguration on Jan. 20, was adopted.
1935 - The popular board game Monopoly went on sale for the first time.
1952 - Britain's King George VI died at age 56; he was succeeded by his 25-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth, who became Queen Elizabeth II.
1998 - President Bill Clinton signed a bill changing the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
2000 - First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton launched her successful candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
2001 - Ariel Sharon was elected prime minister of Israel.
2008 - The Bush administration defended the interrogation technique known as waterboarding, saying it was legal -- not torture as critics argued -- and had saved American lives.
2012 - The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marked the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.
2013 - The U.S. Postal Service proposed eliminating Saturday mail delivery, an announcement that immediately drew protests from some lawmakers.
2018 - Poland’s president signed legislation making it a crime to blame Poland for Holocaust crimes committed by Nazi Germany.
2022 - Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the 70th anniversary of her ascendance to the British throne, an unprecedented reign that made her a symbol of stability as the United Kingdom navigated an age of uncertainty. (She would die seven months later at age 96, with her son Prince Charles becoming King Charles III.)
Birthdays
21 - Shelby Simmons (actress)
25 - Aviva Mongillo (actress)
29 - Charlie Heaton (actor)
29 - Ariel Mortman (actress)
30 - Tinashe (singer)
31 - Nora Fatehi (actress)
35 - Anna Diop (actress)
37 - Alice Greczyn (actress)
38 - Crystal Reed (actress)
39 - Brandon Hammond (actor)
43 - Ben Lawson (actor)
46 - Josh Stewart (actor)
50 - Amy Robach (news anchor)
57 - Rick Astley (singer)
61 - Richie McDonald (singer)
61 - Axl Rose (singer)
63 - Megan Gallagher (actress)
65 - Barry Miller (actor)
66 - Robert Townsend (actor)
66 - Kathy Najimy (actress)
67 - Jon Walmsley (actor)
78 - Michael Tucker (actor)
80 - Gayle Hunnicutt (actress)
83 - Tom Brokaw (news anchor)
84 - Mike Farrell (actor)
92 - Mamie Van Doren (actress)
==============================
Today in Sports History - February 6
1926 - The National Football League adopted a rule that made players ineligible for competition until their college class graduated.
1958 - Ted Williams signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox that was worth $135,000. The contract made him the highest paid player in major league history.
1970 - The NBA expanded to 18 teams for the 1970-71 season. The new teams added were Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Portland.
1990 - Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) and his father Bobby Hull, became the only father-son combination in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season.
1993 - Tennis hall of famer Arthur Ashe died in New York at age 49.
2005 - The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 to win Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years.
2011 - The Green Bay Packers defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 to win Super Bowl XLV.
