February 22

Today in History
• 303 - 1st official Roman edict for persecution of Christians issued by Emperor Diocletian
• 1349 - Jews are expelled from Zurich, Switzerland
• 1415 - English King Henry V lays the foundation stone for Syon Abbey
• 1630 - Indians introduce pilgrims to popcorn, at Thanksgiving
• 1744 - Battle at Toulon: English-French and Spanish fleet
• 1797 - The Last Invasion of Britain, by the French during the Revolutionary Wars
• 1819 - Spain ceded Florida to the United States
• 1825 - Russia and Britain establish Alaska-Canada boundary


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Ash Wednesday
• Canada's Agriculture Day
• European Day for Victims of Crime
• National California Day
• National Walking the Dog Day
• Scouts Founder's Day
• St. Lucia Independence Day
• Lent

Birthdays
• 1403 - Charles VII, King of France, 1422-61, drove out English
• 1684 - William Pulteney, London, statesman, Earl of Bath
• 1732 - George Washington, born in Virginia, 1st President, 1789 - 1797
• 1749 - Johann Nikolaus Forkel, musicologist/1st biographer of Bach
• 1797 - William I, King of Prussia (1861-88) and the 1st German Emperor
• 1824 - Pierre Janssen, French astronomer, discovered helium
• 1839 - Octavius Catto, American educator (Institute for Colored Youth)
• 1857 - Robert Baden-Powell, officer and founder of the modern scouting movement