On This Day

February 1788 in History

Events in History

  • Feb 1 1st US steamboat patent issued, by Georgia to Briggs & Longstreet
  • Feb 6 Massachusetts becomes 6th state to ratify constitution
  • Feb 9 Austria declares war on Russia

Birthdays in History

  • Feb 5 Karoly Kisfaludy, Hungarian literary (A Tat rok Magyarorsz gon)

Person of interestRobert Peel

Feb 5 Robert "Bobbie" Peel, British Prime Minister (Tory/Conservative/Peelite: 1834-35; 1841-46), founder of the British Conservative Party and founder of the modern police force (Bobbies), born in Ramsbottom, England (d. 1850)

British Prime Minister Robert Peel
British Prime Minister
Robert Peel
  • Feb 16 Juan van Halen, Dutch/Spanish officer/adventurer
  • Feb 22 Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher (Great Pessimist)

Deaths in History

  • Feb 18 John Whitehurst, English clockmaker and scientist, dies at 75
  • Feb 20 Gijsbert John van Hardenbroeck, Dutch regent (Utrecht), dies at 68
  • Feb 21 Johann Georg Palitzsch, German astronomer, 1st saw Halley's comet on return, dies at 64
  • Feb 28 Thomas Cushing, American Continental Congressman (b. 1725)