On This Day in History – February 16

Major Events

• 600 – Pope Gregory I issues a decree encouraging missionaries to adapt pagan temples for Christian worship, shaping the spread of Christianity in Europe.
• 1270 – The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order at the Battle of Karuse, strengthening Lithuanian regional power.
• 1804 – The First Barbary War begins when the United States sends naval forces to the Mediterranean to confront North African pirates.
• 1862 – Union General Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Donelson during the American Civil War, marking the first major Union victory of the conflict.
• 1918 – Lithuania formally declares independence from Russia and Germany, establishing itself as a sovereign nation.
• 1923 – Archaeologist Howard Carter opens the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt.
• 1937 – Wallace H. Carothers invents nylon at DuPont, revolutionizing the textile industry.
• 1943 – The Norwegian heavy water sabotage mission succeeds, hindering Nazi Germany’s nuclear program.
• 1959 – Fidel Castro becomes Prime Minister of Cuba following the Cuban Revolution.
• 2005 – The Kyoto Protocol enters into force, committing participating nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Famous Birthdays

• Francis Galton – English polymath and statistician (1822–1911)
• Sonny Bono – American singer and politician (1935–1998)
• Elizabeth Olsen – American actress (1989)
• John McEnroe – American tennis champion (1959)
• Thelma Ritter – American actress (1902–1969)
• Ice-T – American rapper and actor (1958)
• Kim Soo-hyun – South Korean actor (1988)
• LeVar Burton – American actor and author (1957)
• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Iranian politician (1956)

Notable Deaths

• Ferdinand Magellan – Portuguese explorer (1521, born 1480)
• Herbert Asbury – American journalist and author (1963, born 1889)
• Smiley Burnette – American actor and singer (1967, born 1911)
• Howard Aiken – American computer scientist (1973, born 1900)
• Joseph Lister – British surgeon and pioneer of antiseptic medicine (1912, born 1827)
• Catherine de’ Medici – Queen of France (1589, born 1519)
• Johnny Allen – American baseball player (1942, born 1904)
• José López Portillo – Mexican politician (2004, born 1920)
• Tony Randall – American actor (2004, born 1920)

Holidays

• Restoration of the State Day – Lithuania
• Independence Day – Lithuania
• National Innovation Day – United States (informal observance)

Fun Facts

• Nylon was first used to make toothbrush bristles before becoming popular in clothing.
• The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb remains one of archaeology’s greatest finds.
• Fort Donelson’s capture earned Ulysses S. Grant the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant.
• The Kyoto Protocol was one of the first major international climate agreements.
• Fidel Castro’s rise to power dramatically reshaped Cuban history and Cold War politics.
• Lithuania celebrates its independence twice each year due to its complex history.