February 28 - This day in History

February 28: General Interest
1953: Watson and Crick discover chemical structure of DNA

On this day in 1953, Cambridge University scientists James D. Watson and Frances H.C. Crick announce that they have determined the double-helix structure of DNA, the molecule containing human genes... read more


American Revolution
1784 : John Wesley charters first Methodist Church in U.S.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-wesley-charters-first-methodist-church-in-us


Automotive
1940 : Racing legend Mario Andretti born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/racing-legend-mario-andretti-born


Civil War
1864 : Union begins cavalry raid in Virginia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kilpatrick-dahlgren-raid-begins


Cold War
1987 : Gorbachev calls for nuclear weapons treaty
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gorbachev-calls-for-nuclear-weapons-treaty


Crime
1993 : Federal agents raid the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/federal-agents-raid-the-branch-davidian-compound-in-waco-texas


Disaster
1975 : Subway crash in London kills 43
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/subway-crash-in-london-kills-43


General Interest
1982 : Getty Museum endowed
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/getty-museum-endowed

1993 : ATF raids Branch Davidian compound
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atf-raids-branch-davidian-compound

1994 : First NATO Military Action
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-nato-military-action

2013 : Pope Benedict resigns
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pope-benedict-resigns


Hollywood
1983 : Final episode of M*A*S*H airs
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/final-episode-of-mash-airs


Literary
1894 : Ben Hecht is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ben-hecht-is-born


Music
1964 : Thelonious Monk makes the cover of Time magazine
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thelonious-monk-makes-the-cover-of-time-magazine


Old West
1861 : Congress creates Colorado Territory
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-creates-colorado-territory


Presidential
1844 : Tyler narrowly escapes death on the USS Princeton
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tyler-narrowly-escapes-death-on-the-uss-princeton


Sports
1931 : Basketball coaching legend Dean Smith born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/basketball-coaching-legend-dean-smith-born


Vietnam War
1968 : Wheeler says Westmoreland will need more troops
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/wheeler-says-westmoreland-will-need-more-troops


World War I
1916 : German Cameroons surrenders to Allied forces
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/german-cameroons-surrenders-to-allied-forces


World War II
1944 : Test pilot Reitsch pitches suicide squad to Hitler
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/test-pilot-reitsch-pitches-suicide-squad-to-hitler