On This Day in History – February 2

Major Events

• 1536 – Buenos Aires is founded by Spanish explorer Pedro de Mendoza, establishing one of South America’s most important cities.
• 1653 – New Amsterdam, later renamed New York City, is officially incorporated.
• 1709 – Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being marooned for four years, inspiring Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe.
• 1848 – The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, ending the Mexican-American War and reshaping the borders of North America.
• 1876 – The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs is organized, laying the foundation for Major League Baseball.
• 1887 – The first Groundhog Day celebration takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
• 1922 – James Joyce’s novel Ulysses is published in Paris on the author’s 40th birthday.
• 1935 – Leonard Keeler administers the first modern polygraph test in the United States.
• 1943 – The German 6th Army officially surrenders at the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II.
• 1971 – Idi Amin declares himself President of Uganda, marking the start of a brutal dictatorship.
• 2009 – Iceland forms a new government following the country’s financial collapse.

Famous Birthdays

• James Joyce – Irish novelist and poet (1882–1941)
• Groundhog Phil (Punxsutawney Phil) – Cultural folklore figure (1886, symbolic)
• Christie Brinkley – American model and entrepreneur (1954)
• Shakira – Colombian singer and songwriter (1977)
• Farrah Fawcett – American actress and model (1947–2009)
• Ina Garten – American chef and television host (1948)
• Boris Becker – German tennis champion (1967)
• Gerard Piqué – Spanish footballer (1987)
• Brent Musburger – American sportscaster (1939)

Notable Deaths

• Pope Gelasius II – Catholic Pope (1119, born 1060)
• Dmitri Mendeleev – Russian chemist, creator of the periodic table (1907, born 1834)
• James Gatz (Jay Gatsby, fictional cultural influence) – Referenced symbolically with literary anniversaries
• Max Schmeling – German boxer (2005, born 1905)
• Sid Vicious – English punk rock musician (1979, born 1957)
• Fredric March – American actor (1975, born 1897)
• Philip Seymour Hoffman – American actor (2014, born 1967)
• Buster Crabbe – American actor and Olympic swimmer (1983, born 1908)
• Don McLean – American musician (2022, born 1945)

Holidays

• Groundhog Day – United States and Canada
• Candlemas – Observed in many Christian traditions worldwide
• World Wetlands Day – International environmental awareness day

Fun Facts

• Groundhog Day folklore claims that seeing a shadow predicts six more weeks of winter.
• February 2 is one of the few dates tied directly to ancient seasonal weather rituals.
• Ulysses was banned in several countries when first published.
• Candlemas traditionally marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox.
• The Battle of Stalingrad is considered one of the deadliest battles in human history.
• Groundhog Day celebrations date back to German immigrant traditions.