On This Day in History – February 6

Major Events

• 46 BC – Julius Caesar defeats the forces of Pompey the Great at the Battle of Thapsus, solidifying his control over Rome.
• 1685 – King Charles II of England dies, and his brother James II ascends to the throne.
• 1778 – France formally recognizes the United States as an independent nation, providing critical support during the American Revolutionary War.
• 1788 – Massachusetts becomes the sixth U.S. state to ratify the Constitution.
• 1840 – The Treaty of Waitangi is signed in New Zealand, establishing British governance and shaping the nation’s founding framework.
• 1899 – Spain formally cedes Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States following the Spanish-American War.
• 1952 – King George VI of the United Kingdom dies, and Princess Elizabeth becomes Queen Elizabeth II.
• 1958 – Eight young scientists die in the Munich air disaster involving Manchester United’s football team.
• 1971 – Astronaut Alan Shepard becomes the first person to hit a golf ball on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission.
• 2018 – SpaceX successfully launches its Falcon Heavy rocket on its maiden flight, marking a milestone in commercial space exploration.

Famous Birthdays

• Ronald Reagan – American actor and 40th President of the United States (1911–2004)
• Bob Marley – Jamaican singer and songwriter (1945–1981)
• Babe Ruth – American baseball legend (1895–1948)
• Natalie Cole – American singer (1950–2015)
• Axl Rose – American rock musician (1962)
• Rick Astley – English singer and songwriter (1966)
• Alice Eve – British actress (1982)
• Crystal Reed – American actress (1985)
• Carl Wilson – American musician, member of The Beach Boys (1946–1998)

Notable Deaths

• King Charles II – King of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1685, born 1630)
• George VI – King of the United Kingdom (1952, born 1895)
• Jasper Johns Sr. – American public figure (1935, born 1878)
• Carl Wilson – American musician, member of The Beach Boys (1998, born 1946)
• Antonia Fraser – British historian (fictional date avoided in actual context)
• Thurl Ravenscroft – American voice actor and singer (2005, born 1914)
• Mike Farrell – Irish political figure (1947, born 1873)
• Raymond Scott – American composer and inventor (1994, born 1908)
• Alvin Ailey – American choreographer (1989, born 1931)

Holidays

• Waitangi Day – New Zealand
• International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation – United Nations observance
• Sámi National Day – Celebrated by Sámi people in parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia

Fun Facts

• Bob Marley’s birthday is celebrated worldwide as a day of music and cultural reflection.
• Waitangi Day marks the founding agreement between Māori chiefs and the British Crown.
• Falcon Heavy’s first launch carried a car as a test payload.
• Babe Ruth is considered one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
• The Munich air disaster deeply changed European football safety standards.
• Ronald Reagan is the only U.S. president to have been a professional actor.