On This Day

February 1836 in History

Events in History

  • Feb 3 Whig Party holds its 1st national convention (Albany NY)

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Feb 6 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin arrive in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania)

Naturalist Charles Darwin
Naturalist
Charles Darwin

Book releaseHistoric Publication

Feb 7 "Sketches by Boz" (essays) published by Charles Dickens

Novelist Charles Dickens
Novelist
Charles Dickens
  • Feb 22 Dutch garrison evacuates fort Du Bus New Guinea

Battle of InterestBattle of the Alamo

Feb 23 Alamo besieged for 13 days until March 6 by Mexican army under General Santa Anna; entire garrison eventually killed

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The Fall of the Alamo by Robert Jenkins Onderdonk shows folk hero Davy Crockett shortly before being killed by Mexican soldiers
The Fall of the Alamo by Robert Jenkins Onderdonk shows folk hero Davy Crockett shortly before being killed by Mexican soldiers
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InventionHistoric Invention

Feb 25 Samuel Colt patents first multi-shot revolving-cylinder revolver, enabling the firearm to be fired multiple times without reloading

Inventor/Industrialist Samuel Colt
Inventor/Industrialist
Samuel Colt

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Feb 25 Showman P. T. Barnum exhibits African American slave Joice Heth, claiming she was the 161 year-old nursemaid to George Washington

Circus Showman and Businessman P. T. Barnum
Circus Showman and Businessman
P. T. Barnum

Birthdays in History

  • Feb 17 Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Spanish poet (d. 1870)
  • Feb 18 Ramakrishna [Gadadhar Chatterji], Indian mystic and yogi (preached unity of religions), born in Kamarpukur, British India (d. 1886)
  • Feb 24 Winslow Homer, American painter (Gulfstream)