February 1

Today in History
• 1788 - Isaac Briggs and William Longstreet patented the steamboat
• 1790 - The U.S. Supreme Court convened for the first time in New York City
• 1793 - France declared war on Britain and Holland
• 1862 - "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," first published
• 1884 - The first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was published
• 1900 - Eastman Kodak Co. introduced the $1 Brownie box camera
• 1919 - The first Miss America was crowned in New York City
• 1920 - The first armored car was introduced


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Abolition of Slavery Day
• Car Insurance Day
• Change Your Password Day
• Heroes' Day
• National Dark Chocolate Day
• National Freedom Day
• National Texas Day
• Robinson Crusoe Day

Birthdays
• 1550 - John Napier, Scottish mathematician and inventor
• 1659 - Jacob Roggeveen, Dutch Swiss lawyer/navigator, Easter Island
• 1758 - Agustín de Betancourt, engineer (steam engines, hot air balloons)
• 1763 - Thomas Campbell, founder, Church of Disciples in America
• 1805 - Auguste Blanqui, France, revolutionary, workers' leader
• 1833 - Henry McNeal Turner, black methodist bishop
• 1878 - Hattie Wyatt Caraway, politician/teacher/1st woman elected to senate
• 1896 - Anastasio "Tacho" Somoza, general/president of Nicaragua, 1937-56