March 2
March 2 is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 304 days remain until the end of the year.
Events
- 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks.
- 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders.
- 1717 - The Loves of Mars and Venus becomes the first ballet performed in England.
- 1791 - Long-distance communication speeds up with the unveiling of a semaphore machine in Paris.
- 1807 - The U.S. Congress passes an act to "prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States... from any foreign kingdom, place, or country."
- 1808 - The inaugural meeting of the Wernerian Natural History Society, a former Scottish learned society, was held in Edinburgh.
- 1815 - Signing of Kandyan treaty by British invaders and Sri Lankan King.
- 1836 - Texas Revolution: Declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico.
- 1842 - The Grand National steeplechase at Aintree near Liverpool England is won by Gaylad, ridden by Tom Olliver.
- 1855 - Alexander II becomes Tsar of Russia.
- 1861 - Nevada Territory and Dakota Territory are organized as political divisions of the United States.
- 1861 - Emancipation reform of 1861 in Russia: Tsar Alexander II signed the emancipation reform into law, abolishing Russian serfdom.
- 1863 - The United States Congress authorizes track width of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) for Union Pacific Railroad
- 1865 - Second Taranaki War: The Volkner Incident in New Zealand.
- 1867 - The United States Congress passed the 1st Reconstruction Act
- 1877 - U.S. presidential election, 1876: Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876.
- 1888 - The Convention of Constantinople is signed, guaranteeing free maritime passage through the Suez Canal during war and peace.
- 1896 - Ethiopia defeats Italy in the Battle of Adwa, marking the first victory of an African nation over a colonial power.
- 1899 - In the state of Washington, USA, Mount Rainier National Park is established.
- 1901 - The United States Congress passes the Platt amendment, limiting the autonomy of Cuba as a condition for the withdrawal of American troops.
- 1903 - In New York City the Martha Washington Hotel opens, becoming the first hotel exclusively for women.
- 1917 - The enactment of the Jones-Shafroth Act grants Puerto Ricans United States citizenship.
- 1917 - (Old Style) - Nicholas II of Russia abdicates the throne in favor of his brother Michael II of Russia.
- 1919 - The first Communist International meets in Moscow.
- 1937 - The Steel Workers Organizing Committee signs a surprise collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Steel, leading to unionization of the United States steel industry.
- 1939 - Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli is elected Pope and takes the name Pius XII.
- 1941 - World War II: First German military units enter Bulgaria after it joined the Axis Pact.
- 1943 - World War II: Battle of the Bismarck Sea - United States and Australian forces sink Japanese convoy ships.
- 1943 - 173 people die in the Bethnal Green Tube Disaster, London, the worst civilian disaster of World War 2.
- 1946 - Ho Chi Minh is elected the President of North Vietnam.
- 1949 - Captain James Gallagher lands his B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II in Fort Worth, Texas after completing the first non-stop around-the-world airplane flight in 94 hours and one minute.
- 1949 - The first automatic street light was installed in New Milford, Conn..
- 1953 - The Academy Awards are first broadcast on television by NBC.
- 1955 - King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia abdicates the throne in favor of his father, King Norodom Suramarit.
- 1956 - Morocco declares its independence from France.
- 1962 - In Burma, the army led by General Ne Win seizes power in a coup.
- 1962 - Wilt Chamberlain sets the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association by tallying 100 points.
- 1969 - In Toulouse, France the first test flight of the Anglo-French Concorde is conducted.
- 1969 - Soviet and Chinese forces clash at a border outpost on the Ussuri River.
- 1970 - Rhodesia declares itself a republic, breaking its last links with the British crown.
- 1972 - The Pioneer 10 space probe is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida with a mission to explore the outer planets.
- 1978 - Czech Vladimír Remek becomes the first non-Russian or non-American to go into space, when he is launched aboard Soyuz 28.
- 1989 - Twelve European Community nations agree to ban the production of all chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by the end of the century.
- 1990 - Nelson Mandela elected deputy President of the African National Congress.
- 1991 - Battle at Rumaila Oil Field brings end to the 1991 Gulf War.
- 1992 - Moldova joins the United Nations.
- 1998 - Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice.
- 2002 - U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins, (ending on March 19 after killing 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, with 11 Western troop fatalities).
- 2003 - The first International Symposium on Taiwan Sign Language Linguistics is held at Chung Cheng University.
- 2004 - Voters in the U.S. state of Georgia vote on a referendum concerning its Confederacy-derived flag.
- 2004 - War in Iraq: Al Qaeda carries out the Ashoura Massacre in Iraq, killing 170 and wounding over 500.
- 2008 - Riots in Yerevan, Armenia concerning the Armenian presidential election, 2008 come to a fatal end, with police forces clashing with civilians in their peaceful protest, resulting in 8 deaths.
Births
- 1316 - Robert II of Scotland, (d. 1390)
- 1409 - John II of Alençon, Duke of Alençon and Count of Perche (d. 1476)
- 1459 - Pope Adrian VI (d. 1523)
- 1545 - Thomas Bodley, English diplomat and library founder (d. 1613)
- 1578 - George Sandys, English colonist and poet (d. 1644)
- 1705 - William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, Scottish judge and politician (d. 1793)
- 1760 - Camille Desmoulins, French journalist and politician (d. 1794)
- 1770 - Louis Gabriel Suchet, French Marshal (d. 1826)
- 1779 - Joel Roberts Poinsett, American statesman and botanist (d. 1851)
- 1793 - Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas (d. 1863)
- 1800 - Evgeny Baratynsky, Russian poet (d. 1844)
- 1810 - Pope Leo XIII (d. 1903)
- 1816 - Alexander H. Bullock, 26th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1882)
- 1820 - Multatuli, Dutch writer (d. 1887)
- 1824 - Bedřich Smetana, Czech composer (d. 1884)
- 1829 - Carl Schurz, German revolutionary and statesman (d. 1906)
- 1836 - Henry Billings Brown, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (d. 1913)
- 1842 - Carl Jacobsen, Danish brewer (d. 1914)
- 1843 - Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy (d. 1911)
- 1849 - Robert Means Thompson, U.S. Naval Officer (d. 1930)
- 1859 - Sholom Aleichem, Russian novelist (d. 1916)
- 1860 - Susanna M. Salter, American politician (d. 1961)
- 1862 - Boris Borisovich Galitzine, Russian physicist (d. 1916)
- 1876 - Pope Pius XII (d. 1958)
- 1878 - William Kissam Vanderbilt II, member of the Vanderbilt family (d. 1944)
- 1886 - Willis O'Brien, American animator (d. 1962)
- 1900 - Kurt Weill, German composer (d. 1950)
- 1902 - Moe Berg, American baseball player and spy (d. 1972)
- 1904 - Dr. Seuss, American author (d. 1991)
- 1908 - Fyodor Matveyevich Okhlopkov, Yakut-born Soviet sniper (d. 1968)
- 1908 - Walter Bruch, German engineer (d. 1990)
- 1909 - Mel Ott, American baseball player (d. 1958)
- 1912 - Henry Katzman, American composer and pianist (d. 2001)
- 1913 - Godfried Bomans, Dutch author and television personality (d. 1971)
- 1913 - Celedonio Romero, Spanish guitarist (d. 1996)
- 1913 - Mort Cooper, American baseball player (d. 1958)
- 1914 - Martin Ritt, American director (d. 1990)
- 1917 - Desi Arnaz, Cuban-born American actor and bandleader (d. 1986)
- 1917 - Jim Konstanty, American baseball player (d. 1976)
- 1917 - David Goodis, American writer (d. 1967)
- 1918 - Peter O'Sullevan, Irish horse racing commentator
- 1919 - Jennifer Jones, American actress
- 1919 - Tamara Toumanova, Russian ballerina and actress (d. 1996)
- 1922 - Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, American jazz tenor saxophonist (d. 1986)
- 1923 - Orrin Keepnews, American writer and critic
- 1923 - Robert H. Michel, American politician
- 1926 - Murray Rothbard, American economist (d. 1995)
- 1927 - Roger Walkowiak, French cyclist
- 1928 - Father John Romanides, Greek priest and professor (d. 2001)
- 1930 - Emma Penella, Spanish actress (d. 2007)
- 1930 - John Cullum, American actor and singer
- 1931 - Mikhail Gorbachev, President of the Soviet Union and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
- 1931 - Tom Wolfe, American author
- 1935 - Al Waxman, Canadian actor (d. 2001)
- 1937 - Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria
- 1938 - Ricardo Lagos, former President of Chile
- 1938 - Lawrence Payton, American singer and songwriter (The Four Tops) (d. 1997)
- 1940 - Tony Croatto, Italian-born composer (d. 2005)
- 1941 - David Satcher, 16th United States Surgeon General
- 1942 - Peter Guber, American film producer
- 1942 - John Irving, American author
- 1942 - Luc Plamondon, French Canadian lyricist
- 1942 - Lou Reed, American singer and guitarist
- 1942 - Kwang Jo Choi, the founder of Choi Kwang- do and is one of the twelve original Masters of Taekwon-Do.
- 1943 - Zygfryd Blaut, Polish footballer (d. 2005)
- 1943 - Claude Larose, French Canadian ice hockey player
- 1943 - Tony Meehan, English drummer (The Shadows) (d. 2005)
- 1943 - Peter Straub, American author
- 1944 - Uschi Glas, German actress
- 1947 - Harry Redknapp, English football manager
- 1948 - Larry Carlton, American guitarist
- 1948 - Rory Gallagher, Irish guitarist (d. 1995)
- 1948 - Jeff Kennett, Australian politician
- 1949 - Alain Chamfort, French singer
- 1949 - Gates McFadden, American actress
- 1949 - J. P. R. Williams, Welsh Rugby Union player
- 1950 - Karen Carpenter, American singer and drummer (The Carpenters) (d. 1983)
- 1950 - Jeffrey Chodorow, American restaurateur and financier
- 1952 - Mark Evanier, American writer
- 1952 - Laraine Newman, American actress
- 1953 - Russ Feingold, American politician
- 1955 - Shoko Asahara, Japanese cult leader
- 1955 - Jay Osmond, American musician (The Osmonds)
- 1955 - Ken Salazar, American politician
- 1956 - Mark Evans, Australian bassist (AC/DC)
- 1956 - John Cowsill, American musician (The Cowsills)
- 1958 - Ian Woosnam, Welsh golfer
- 1958 - Peter Arnold, American architect
- 1958 - Kevin Curren, South African-born tennis player
- 1960 - Hector Calma, Filipino basketball player
- 1961 - Simone Young, Australian conductor
- 1962 - Jon Bon Jovi, American musician (Bon Jovi)
- 1962 - Al Del Greco, American football player
- 1962 - Morioka Hiroyuki, Japanese writer
- 1962 - Michael Salinger, American poet
- 1962 - Scott Sterling, American musician (Scott La Rock)
- 1962 - Raimo Summanen, Finnish ice hockey player and coach
- 1963 - Tuff Hedeman, American bull rider
- 1963 - Tanyu Kiryakov, Bulgarian pistol shooter
- 1964 - Megan Leigh, American porn star (d. 1990)
- 1964 - Mike Von Erich, American professional wrestler (d. 1987)
- 1965 - Ron Gant, American baseball player
- 1965 - Lembit Öpik, British politician
- 1968 - Daniel Craig, English actor
- 1971 - Dave Gorman, English documentary comedian
- 1971 - Elizabeth Lackey, American actress
- 1972 - Richard Ruccolo, American actor
- 1972 - Amber Smith, American actress and model
- 1973 - Trevor Sinclair, English footballer
- 1973 - Dejan Bodiroga, Serbian basketball player
- 1974 - Monika Niederstätter, Italian athlete
- 1974 - Hayley Lewis, Australian swimmer
- 1976 - Glenn Rubenstein, American writer and journalist
- 1977 - Chris Martin, English musician (Coldplay)
- 1977 - Heather McComb, American actress
- 1977 - Andrew Strauss, English cricket player
- 1977 - Jay Gibbons, American baseball player
- 1978 - Giannis Skopelitis, Greek footballer
- 1979 - Damien Duff, Irish footballer
- 1979 - Sergei Davydov, Belarusian figure skater
- 1979 - Amanda Ireton, Cast member of MTV's A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila
- 1979 - Nicky Weaver, English footballer
- 1980 - Édson Nobre, Angolan footballer
- 1980 - Lance Cade, American professional wrestler
- 1980 - Karl Dominik, China based foreign actor
- 1981 - Bryce Dallas Howard, American actress
- 1982 - Kevin Kurányi, German footballer
- 1982 - Henrik Lundqvist, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1982 - Ben Roethlisberger, American football player
- 1982 - Corey Webster, American football player
- 1983 - Glen Perkins, American baseball player
- 1984 - Elizabeth Jagger, English model and actress
- 1985 - Robert Iler, American actor
- 1985 - Reggie Bush, American football player
- 1985 - Luke Pritchard, British singer (The Kooks)
- 1988 - Keith Jack, British singer and actor
- 1988 - Matthew Mitcham, Australian diver
- 1988 - Nadine Samonte, Filipino actress
- 1994 - Chris Severin, Italian Librarian and pasta maker
Deaths
- 855 - Lothair, King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor (b. 795)
- 1316 - Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I of Scotland (b. 1296)
- 1572 - Mem de Sá, Portuguese Governor-General of Brazil
- 1589 - Alessandro Cardinal Farnese, Italian cardinal (b. 1520)
- 1729 - Francesco Bianchini, Italian philosopher and scientist (b. 1662)
- 1755 - Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon, French writer (b. 1675)
- 1758 - Pierre Guérin de Tencin, French cardinal (b. 1679)
- 1791 - John Wesley, English founder of Methodism (b. 1703)
- 1793 - Carl Gustaf Pilo, Swedish-born artist
- 1797 - Horace Walpole, English politician and writer (b. 1717)
- 1829 - Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, conspirator and supporter of the Mexican War of Independence (b. 1768)
- 1830 - Samuel Thomas von Sömmering, German physician (b. 1755)
- 1835 - Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1768)
- 1840 - Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers, German astronomer (b. 1758)
- 1855 - Nicholas I of Russia, Emperor of Russia (b. 1796)
- 1865 - Carl Sylvius Völkner, German missionary to New Zealand (b. 1819)
- 1880 - Sir John MacNeill, Irish civil engineer (b. 1790)
- 1895 - Berthe Morisot, French painter (b. 1841)
- 1895 - Isma'il Pasha, Governor of Egypt (b. 1830)
- 1919 - Melchora Aquino, Filipino revolutionary hero (b. 1812)
- 1921 - Champ Clark, American politician (b. 1850)
- 1921 - King Nicholas I of Montenegro (b. 1841)
- 1930 - D. H. Lawrence, English writer (b. 1885)
- 1938 - Ben Harney, American composer and pianist (b. 1871)
- 1939 - Howard Carter, British archaeologist (b. 1874)
- 1945 - Emily Carr, Canadian artist (b. 1871)
- 1946 - Fidél Pálffy, Hungarian National socialist (b. 1895)
- 1946 - George E. Stewart, American Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1872)
- 1953 - Jim Lightbody, American runner (b. 1882)
- 1958 - Fred Merkle, American baseball figure (b. 1888)
- 1959 - Eric Blore, English actor (b. 1887)
- 1960 - Stanisław Taczak, Polish general, commander-in-chief of the Greater Poland Uprising (b. 1874)
- 1962 - Charles Jean de la Vallée-Poussin, Belgian mathematician (b. 1866)
- 1967 - José Martínez Ruiz, Spanish poet and writer (b. 1873)
- 1970 - Marc-Aurèle Fortin, Quebec painter (b. 1888)
- 1973 - Cleo A. Noel, Jr., US Chief of Mission to Sudan (b. 1918). See 1973 Khartoum diplomatic assassinations.
- 1974 - Salvador Puig Antich, Spanish anarchist (b. 1948)
- 1975 - Josiah Mwangi Kariuki, Kenyan politician (b.1929)
- 1979 - Christy Ring Irish hurler (b. 1920)
- 1982 - Philip K. Dick, American author (b. 1928)
- 1987 - Randolph Scott, American actor and director (b. 1898)
- 1991 - Serge Gainsbourg, French singer (b. 1928)
- 1992 - Sandy Dennis, American actress (b. 1937)
- 1994 - Anita Morris, American actress (b. 1943)
- 1999 - David Ackles, American singer and songwriter (b. 1937)
- 1999 - Dusty Springfield, English singer (b. 1939)
- 2001 - John Diamond, British journalist (b. 1953)
- 2003 - Hank Ballard, American musician (b. 1927)
- 2003 - Malcolm Williamson, Australian composer (b. 1931)
- 2004 - Cormac McAnallen, Northern Irish Gaelic footballer (b. 1980)
- 2004 - Mercedes McCambridge, American actress (b. 1916)
- 2004 - Marge Schott, American baseball team owner (b. 1928)
- 2005 - Rick Mahler, American baseball player (b. 1953)
- 2005 - Martin Denny, American musician (b. 1911)
- 2006 - Milton Katims, American violist and conductor (b. 1909)
- 2006 - Jack Wild, British actor (b. 1952)
- 2007 - Ivan Safronov, Russian journalist (b. 1956)
- 2007 - Clem Labine, American baseball player (b. 1926)
- 2007 - Thomas S. Kleppe, U.S. politician (b. 1919)
- 2007 - Henri Troyat, French writer, dean of the Académie française (b. 1911)
- 2008 - Jeff Healey, Canadian musician (b. 1966)
Holidays and observances
- Bahá'í Faith - Feast of 'Alá (Loftiness) - First day of the 19th month of the Bahá'í calendar.
- Texas Independence Day (1836).
- Church of England - Saint Chad's Day.
- March 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Catholic Church: