Editing February 15 (section)

==Events==
===Pre-1600===
* [[438]] &ndash; [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] emperor [[Theodosius II]] publishes the law codex [[Codex Theodosianus]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Codex_Theodosianus.html |title=LacusCurtius • Roman Law — Theodosian Code (Smith's Dictionary, 1875)<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2021-02-19 |archive-date=2022-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215150614/https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA%2A/Codex_Theodosianus.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[590]] &ndash; [[Khosrau II]] is crowned king of [[Sassanid dynasty|Persia]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Bulletin of the Asia Institute|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p-dtAAAAMAAJ|year=2000|publisher=Wayne State University Press|page=40|access-date=2019-04-04|archive-date=2020-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116185843/https://books.google.com/books?id=p-dtAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[706]] &ndash; [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] emperor [[Justinian II]] has his predecessors [[Leontios]] and [[Tiberios III]] publicly executed in the [[Hippodrome of Constantinople]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Rogge|first=Jörg|title=Killing and Being Killed: Bodies in Battle: Perspectives on Fighters in the Middle Ages|location=Germany|publisher=transcript|date=2017|isbn=9783837637830|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UmhLDwAAQBAJ|page=53|access-date=2021-02-15|archive-date=2022-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215150642/https://books.google.com/books?id=UmhLDwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1002]] &ndash; At an assembly at [[Pavia]] of [[Lombardy|Lombard]] nobles, [[Arduin of Ivrea]] is restored to his domains and crowned [[King of Italy]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (Great Britain)|title=Biographical Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9w1FAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA324|year=1843|publisher=Longman|pages=324|access-date=2019-04-04|archive-date=2021-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225233114/https://books.google.com/books?id=9w1FAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA324|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1113]] &ndash; [[Pope Paschal II]] issues ''[[Pie Postulatio Voluntatis]]'', recognizing [[Knights Hospitaller|the Order of Hospitallers]].<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=960 years of history|url=http://www.orderofmalta.int/history/639/history-order-of-malta/?lang=en|website=Order of Malta|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909235254/http://www.orderofmalta.int/history/639/history-order-of-malta/?lang=en|archive-date=9 September 2015}}</ref>
*[[1214]] &ndash; During the [[Anglo-French War (1213–1214)]], an English invasion force led by [[John, King of England]], lands at [[La Rochelle]] in [[France]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Michael Van Cleave Alexander|title=Three Crises in Early English History: Personalities and Politics During the Norman Conquest, the Reign of King John, and the Wars of the Roses|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hj6uYu0LiO0C&pg=PA94|year=1998|publisher=University Press of America|isbn=978-0-7618-1188-6|pages=94|access-date=2019-04-04|archive-date=2022-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215150637/https://books.google.com/books?id=Hj6uYu0LiO0C&pg=PA94|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1493]] &ndash; While on board the ''[[Niña (ship)|Niña]]'', [[Christopher Columbus]] [[Columbus's letter on the first voyage|writes an open letter]] (widely distributed upon his return to [[Portugal]]) describing his discoveries and the unexpected items he came across in the [[New World]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ems.kcl.ac.uk/content/pub/b002.html|author=Ife, Barry W.|title=Introduction to the Letters from America|publisher=King's College London|access-date=13 February 2019|archive-date=3 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203183036/http://www.ems.kcl.ac.uk/content/pub/b002.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===1601–1900===
*[[1637]] &ndash; [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand III]] becomes [[Holy Roman Emperor]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Lynn|first=Robert A.|chapter=Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor (1608-1657)|title=Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Vol. 1: A—F|editor-last=Zabecki|editor-first=Davd T.|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.|publisher=ABC-CLIO|date=2014|isbn=9781598849806|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rCWMBQAAQBAJ|page=415|access-date=2021-02-15|archive-date=2021-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601234131/https://books.google.com/books?id=rCWMBQAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1690]] &ndash; [[Constantin Cantemir]], Prince of [[Moldavia]], and the [[Holy Roman Empire]] sign a secret treaty in [[Sibiu]], stipulating that Moldavia would support the actions led by the [[House of Habsburg]] against the [[Ottoman Empire]].
*[[1764]] &ndash; The city of [[St. Louis]] is established in [[Louisiana (New Spain)|Spanish Louisiana]] (now in [[Missouri]], USA).<ref>{{cite journal|last=Primm|first=Wilson|title=History of St. Louis|journal=Missouri Historical Society Collections|volume=4|number=2|date=1913|page=163|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoEyAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215150645/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoEyAQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1798]] &ndash; The [[Roman Republic (18th century)|Roman Republic]] is proclaimed after [[Louis-Alexandre Berthier]], a general of [[Napoleon]], had invaded the city of [[Rome]] five days earlier.
*[[1835]] &ndash; Serbia's [[Sretenje Constitution]] briefly comes into effect.
*[[1852]] &ndash; The [[Helsinki Cathedral]] (known as ''St. Nicholas' Church'' at time) is officially inaugurated in [[Helsinki]], [[Grand Duchy of Finland|Finland]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Ruuth|first=Martti|title=Helsingin Suurkirkko satavuotias|page=7|publisher=Helsingin evankelis-luterilaisten seurakunta|location=Helsinki|year=1952|language=fi}}</ref>
*[[1862]] &ndash; [[American Civil War]]: Confederates commanded by Brig. Gen. [[John B. Floyd]] attack General [[Ulysses S. Grant]]'s Union forces [[Battle of Fort Donelson|besieging Fort Donelson]] in [[Tennessee]]. Unable to break the fort's encirclement, the Confederates surrender the following day.<ref>Nevin, David, and the Editors of Time-Life Books. ''The Road to Shiloh: Early Battles in the West''. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1983. {{ISBN|0-8094-4716-9}} pp. 84–86</ref>
*[[1870]] &ndash; [[Stevens Institute of Technology]] is founded in New Jersey, US, and offers the first [[Bachelor of Engineering]] degree in [[mechanical engineering]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Stevens Indicator|publisher=Stevens Alumni Association|year=1955|page=5}}</ref>
*[[1879]] &ndash; [[Women's rights]]: US President [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] signs a bill allowing female [[Lawyer|attorneys]] to argue cases before the [[Supreme Court of the United States]].
*[[1898]] &ndash; The battleship {{USS|Maine|ACR-1|6}} explodes and sinks in [[Havana]] harbor in [[Cuba]], killing about 274 of the ship's roughly 354 crew.<ref>{{cite book|last=Axelrod|first=Alex|title=Profiles in Folly: History's Worst Decisions and Why They Went Wrong|location=New York|publisher=Sterling Publishing Company|date=2008|isbn=9781402747687|url=https://archive.org/details/profilesinfollyh00axel|url-access=registration|pages=67–68}}</ref> The disaster pushes the [[United States]] to [[Spanish–American War|declare war]] on [[Spain]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Dyal|first=Donald H.|chapter=Maine (ship)|title=Historical Dictionary of the Spanish American War|location=Westport, Conn.|publisher=Greenwood Press|date=1996|isbn=9781429472845|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CWaCEfeuQXkC|pages=200–201}}</ref>
*[[1899]] &ndash; [[Nicholas II of Russia|Tsar Nicholas II of Russia]] issues a declaration known as the [[February Manifesto]], which reduces the autonomy of the [[Grand Duchy of Finland]], thus beginning the [[Russification of Finland|first period of oppression]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.histdoc.net/history/keisarik.html|title=1899. The Collection of Decrees of the Grand Duchy of Finland. No 3.|website=Histdoc.net|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209100043/https://www.histdoc.net/history/keisarik.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===1901–present===
*[[1909]] &ndash; The Flores Theater fire in [[Acapulco]], Mexico kills 250.
*[[1923]] &ndash; [[Greece]] becomes the last European country to adopt the [[Gregorian calendar]].
*[[1925]] &ndash; The [[1925 serum run to Nome]]: The second delivery of serum arrives in [[Nome, Alaska]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Salisbury|first1=Gay|last2=Salisbury|first2=Laney|title=The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic|location=New York|publisher=W.W. Norton & Co.|date=2003|isbn=9780393325706|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JsOWKVnhSiAC|page=236|access-date=2021-02-15|archive-date=2022-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215150647/https://books.google.com/books?id=JsOWKVnhSiAC|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1933]] &ndash; In [[Miami]], [[Giuseppe Zangara]] attempts to assassinate US President-elect [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], but instead shoots [[Mayor of Chicago|Chicago mayor]] [[Anton J. Cermak]], who dies of his wounds on March 6.
*[[1940]] &ndash; [[Paul Creston]]'s [[Saxophone Sonata (Creston)|Saxophone Sonata]] was officially premiered at the [[Carnegie Chamber Hall]] by saxophonist [[Cecil Leeson]], who had commissioned it, and the composer.<ref>{{cite thesis|last=Morris|first=Willie |title=The Development of the Saxophone Compositions of Paul Creston |year=1996 |degree=DMA |institution=University of Missouri–Kansas City |oclc=35239809|pages=116–117}}</ref>
*[[1942]] &ndash; [[World War II]]: [[Fall of Singapore]]. Following an assault by [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]ese forces, the British General [[Arthur Percival]] surrenders. About 80,000 [[British Indian Army|Indian]], United Kingdom and Australian soldiers become [[prisoners of war]], the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history.
*[[1944]] &ndash; World War II: The [[Battle of Monte Cassino|assault]] on [[Monte Cassino]], Italy begins.
*  1944   &ndash; World War II: The [[Narva Offensive (15–28 February 1944)|Narva Offensive]] begins.
*[[1945]] &ndash; World War II: Third day of [[Bombing of Dresden in World War II|bombing in Dresden]].
*[[1946]] &ndash; [[ENIAC]], the first electronic general-purpose computer, is formally dedicated at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in [[Philadelphia]].
*[[1949]] &ndash; [[Gerald Lankester Harding]] and [[Roland de Vaux]] begin excavations at Cave 1 of the [[Qumran Caves]], where they will eventually discover the first seven [[Dead Sea Scrolls]].
*[[1952]] &ndash; King [[George VI]] of the United Kingdom is buried in [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]].
*[[1954]] &ndash; Canada and the United States agree to construct the [[Distant Early Warning Line]], a system of [[radar]] stations in the far northern Arctic regions of Canada and Alaska.
*[[1961]] &ndash; [[Sabena Flight 548]] crashes in Belgium, killing 73, including the entire United States [[figure skating]] team along with several of their coaches and family members.
*[[1965]] &ndash; The [[maple leaf]] is adopted as the [[flag of Canada]], replacing the [[Canadian Red Ensign]] flag.
*[[1970]] &ndash; A [[Dominicana de Aviación]] [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]] [[1970 Dominicana de Aviación DC-9 crash|crashes]] into the [[Caribbean Sea]] after takeoff from [[Las Américas International Airport]], killing 102, including members of the [[Puerto Rico women's national volleyball team]] and lightweight boxer [[Carlos Cruz (boxer)|Carlos Cruz]].<ref name="TWS">{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=1970-02-14 |title=Crash stills title hopes |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ODk_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5270,6468470&dq=roger+zami+carlos+cruz&hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226174500/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ODk_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5270,6468470&dq=roger+zami+carlos+cruz&hl=en |archive-date=2015-12-26 |access-date=2018-10-11 |work=The Windsor Star |agency=United Press International}}</ref>
*[[1971]] &ndash; The [[decimalisation]] of the currencies of the [[Pound sterling|United Kingdom]] and [[Irish pound|Ireland]] is completed on [[Decimal Day]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wamsley |first1=Laurel |title=U.K. And Ireland Celebrate 50 Years Since 'Decimal Day' |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/15/968146708/u-k-and-ireland-celebrate-50-years-since-decimal-day?t=1634728736856 |website=NPR |access-date=20 October 2021 |language=en |date=15 February 2021 |archive-date=20 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020111949/https://www.npr.org/2021/02/15/968146708/u-k-and-ireland-celebrate-50-years-since-decimal-day?t=1634728736856 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[1972]] &ndash; [[Sound recording and reproduction|Sound recordings]] are granted U.S. federal [[copyright]] [[Phonogram Convention|protection]] [[Copyright law of the United States#Duration of copyright|for the first time]].
*  1972   &ndash; [[José María Velasco Ibarra]], serving as [[President of Ecuador]] for the fifth time, is overthrown by the military for the fourth time.
*[[1982]] &ndash; The [[drilling rig]] ''[[Ocean Ranger]]'' sinks during a storm off the coast of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], killing 84 workers.
*[[1989]] &ndash; [[Soviet–Afghan War]]: The [[Soviet Union]] officially announces that all of its troops have [[Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan|left]] [[Afghanistan]].
*[[1991]] &ndash; The [[Visegrád Group]], establishing cooperation to move toward [[free market economy|free-market systems]], is signed by the leaders of [[Czechoslovakia]], Hungary and Poland.
*[[1992]] &ndash; Serial killer [[Jeffrey Dahmer]] is sentenced in Milwaukee to 15 terms of life in prison.
*  1992   &ndash; [[Air Transport International Flight 805]] crashes in [[Swanton, Ohio]], near [[Toledo Express Airport]], killing all four people on board.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19920215-1|title=ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F N794AL Toledo-Express Airport, OH (TOL)|last=Ranter|first=Harro|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=2019-06-21|archive-date=2019-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407030527/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19920215-1|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[1996]] &ndash; At the [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]] in China, a [[Long March 3B]] rocket, carrying an [[Intelsat 708]], veers off course and crashes into a rural village after liftoff, killing somewhere between six and 100 people.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.house.gov/coxreport/body/ch6bod.html |title=Satellite Launches in the PRC: Loral |access-date=6 December 2010 |author=Select Committee of the United States House of Representatives |date=3 January 1999|work=U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China}}</ref>
*  1996   &ndash; The [[Embassy of the United States, Athens]], is attacked by an antitank rocket, launched by the [[Revolutionary Organization 17 November]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-02-16-mn-36785-story.html|title=U.S. Embassy in Athens Attacked|date=February 16, 1996|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2021-02-08|archive-date=2021-02-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208200257/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-02-16-mn-36785-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[2001]] &ndash; The first draft of the complete [[human genome]] is published in ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]''.
*[[2003]] &ndash; [[15 February 2003 anti-war protests|Protests against the Iraq war]] take place in over 600 cities worldwide. It is estimated that between eight million and 30 million people participate, making this the largest peace demonstration in history.
*[[2010]] &ndash; Two trains collide in the [[Halle train collision]] in [[Halle, Belgium]], killing 19 and injuring 171 people.
*[[2012]] &ndash; Three hundred and sixty people die in a [[Comayagua prison fire|fire]] at a [[Honduras|Honduran prison]] in the city of [[Comayagua]].
*[[2013]] &ndash; [[Chelyabinsk meteor|A meteor explodes]] over Russia, injuring 1,500 people as a shock wave blows out windows and rocks buildings. This happens unexpectedly only hours before the ''expected'' closest ever approach of the larger and unrelated asteroid [[2012 DA14]].
*[[2021]] &ndash; Sixty people drown and hundreds are missing after a boat sinks on the [[2021 Congo River disaster|Congo River]] near the village of Longola Ekoti, [[Mai-Ndombe Province]], Democratic Republic of the Congo.<ref>{{cite news |title=Congo river disaster: at least 60 dead and hundreds missing after 'overloaded' boat sinks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/16/congo-river-boat-sinks-deaths-missing |access-date=March 11, 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=16 February 2021 |language=en |archive-date=19 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219155933/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/16/congo-river-boat-sinks-deaths-missing |url-status=live }}</ref>