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

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
  • Feb 25 US Showman Phineas Taylor Barnum exhibits African American slave Joice Heth, claiming she was 161 year-old nursemaid to George Washington

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)