February 27 facts for kids

February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 307 days remain until the end of the year (308 in leap years). February 27th is a day filled with many important events throughout history, from ancient times to the modern era. It's a day when empires made big decisions, new nations were born, and famous people came into the world or left their mark. Let's explore some of the most interesting moments that happened on this date!

Historical Events

Ancient Times and Middle Ages

• 380 – The Edict of Thessalonica was issued. This important rule declared that most Roman citizens should follow Nicene Christianity. It was a big step for Christianity in the Roman Empire.
• 425 – The University of Constantinople was founded. This was a major center for learning in the ancient world, started by Emperor Theodosius II and his wife Aelia Eudocia.
• 907 – Abaoji, a powerful leader, became the khagan (ruler) of the Khitans. This marked the beginning of a strong Khitan empire.
• 1560 – The Treaty of Berwick was signed between England and a group of Scottish nobles called the Lords of the Congregation. This agreement allowed English forces to help Scotland remove French troops.
• 1594 – Henry IV was crowned King of France. He was a very important king who helped bring peace to France after many years of conflict.

17th to 19th Centuries

• 1617 – Sweden and the Tsardom of Russia signed the Treaty of Stolbovo. This treaty ended a war and stopped Russia from having access to the Baltic Sea for a long time.
• 1776 – During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge took place in North Carolina. This battle was a victory for the American patriots against British supporters.
• 1782 – The House of Commons of Great Britain voted to stop fighting in the American Revolutionary War. This was a major step towards American independence.
• 1801 – Washington, D.C. was officially placed under the control of the U.S. Congress. This made it the capital city we know today.
• 1812 – In the Argentine War of Independence, Manuel Belgrano raised the Flag of Argentina for the very first time in the city of Rosario. This flag became a symbol of Argentina's freedom.
• 1844 – The Dominican Republic gained its independence from Haiti. This was a very important day for the country, celebrated as their Independence Day.
• 1860 – Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech in New York City. This speech helped him become a strong candidate for President of the United States.
• 1864 – During the American Civil War, the first Northern prisoners arrived at the Confederate prison in Andersonville, Georgia.
• 1870 – The current flag of Japan was first adopted as the national flag for Japanese merchant ships. It features a red sun on a white background.
• 1881 – The Battle of Majuba Hill took place during the First Boer War. This was a significant battle in South Africa.
• 1900 – The British Labour Party was founded. This political party became one of the two main parties in the United Kingdom.
• 1900 – The famous German football club, Fußball-Club Bayern München, was founded.

20th and 21st Centuries

• 1916 – The large ocean liner SS Maloja hit a mine near Dover and sank, causing the loss of 155 lives.
• 1922 – The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.
• 1933 – The Reichstag, Germany's parliament building in Berlin, was set on fire. This event had a huge impact on German politics at the time.
• 1940 – Scientists Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered carbon-14. This is a special type of carbon used for dating ancient objects.
• 1942 – During World War II, the Battle of the Java Sea occurred. An Allied naval force was defeated by a Japanese force.
• 1943 – The Smith Mine #3 in Bearcreek, Montana, exploded, killing 74 men.
• 1951 – The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution was approved. This amendment limits Presidents to serving only two terms.
• 1964 – The Government of Italy asked for help to keep the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa from falling over.
• 1973 – The American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee to protest the federal government.
• 1976 – The territory of Western Sahara declared its independence as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
• 1991 – During the Gulf War, U.S. President George H. W. Bush announced that "Kuwait is liberated." This meant Kuwait was free from occupation.
• 2004 – A bombing of a SuperFerry in the Philippines killed more than 100 passengers.
• 2010 – A very strong earthquake (8.8 magnitude) hit central Chile, causing over 500 deaths and thousands of injuries. It also caused a tsunami.
• 2015 – Russian politician Boris Nemtsov was assassinated in Moscow.
• 2019 – The Pakistan Air Force shot down an Indian jet and captured its pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, after airstrikes in Jammu and Kashmir.

Famous Births

Born Before 1900

• 272 – Constantine the Great, a very important Roman emperor.
• 1500 – João de Castro, a Portuguese nobleman and viceroy in India.
• 1622 – Carel Fabritius, a talented Dutch painter.
• 1630 – Roche Braziliano, a famous Dutch pirate.
• 1706 – John Evelyn, an English gardener and writer.
• 1795 – José Antonio Navarro, an American merchant and politician.
• 1807 – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a beloved American poet.
• 1847 – Ellen Terry, a famous English actress.
• 1848 – Hubert Parry, an English composer.
• 1859 – Bertha Pappenheim, an Austrian-German activist and author.
• 1863 – Joaquín Sorolla, a well-known Spanish painter.
• 1869 – Alice Hamilton, an American physician and academic.
• 1881 – Sveinn Björnsson, the first President of Iceland.
• 1886 – Hugo Black, an American judge and politician.
• 1891 – David Sarnoff, an American businessman who founded RCA.
• 1897 – Marian Anderson, a celebrated American singer.
• 1899 – Charles Best, a Canadian scientist who helped discover insulin.

Born After 1900

• 1902 – John Steinbeck, a famous American journalist and author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• 1910 – Joan Bennett, an American actress.
• 1910 – Kelly Johnson, an American engineer who helped create many famous aircraft.
• 1912 – Lawrence Durrell, a British author and poet.
• 1917 – John Connally, an American politician and Governor of Texas.
• 1923 – Dexter Gordon, an American jazz saxophonist.
• 1926 – David H. Hubel, a Canadian-American neurophysiologist who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
• 1929 – Djalma Santos, a legendary Brazilian footballer.
• 1930 – Joanne Woodward, a well-known American actress.
• 1932 – Elizabeth Taylor, a famous English-American actress and humanitarian.
• 1934 – Ralph Nader, an American lawyer, politician, and activist.
• 1935 – Mirella Freni, a celebrated Italian opera singer.
• 1940 – Howard Hesseman, an American actor.
• 1942 – Robert H. Grubbs, an American chemist who won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• 1947 – Alan Guth, an American physicist and cosmologist.
• 1953 – Ian Khama, the fourth President of Botswana.
• 1954 – Neal Schon, an American rock guitarist and singer.
• 1957 – Adrian Smith, an English guitarist and songwriter for Iron Maiden.
• 1957 – Timothy Spall, a well-known English actor.
• 1961 – James Worthy, an American basketball player.
• 1962 – Adam Baldwin, an American actor.
• 1967 – Jony Ive, a famous English-American industrial designer, known for his work at Apple.
• 1971 – Sara Blakely, an American businesswoman who founded Spanx.
• 1971 – Derren Brown, an English magician and mentalist.
• 1973 – Peter Andre, an English-Australian singer and actor.
• 1976 – Tony Gonzalez, a famous American football player.
• 1978 – Kakha Kaladze, a Georgian footballer and politician.
• 1980 – Chelsea Clinton, an American journalist and academic.
• 1981 – Josh Groban, a popular American singer.
• 1983 – Kate Mara, an American actress.
• 1984 – Lotta Schelin, a Swedish footballer.
• 1992 – Jonjo Shelvey, an English footballer.
• 1995 – Sergej Milinković-Savić, a Serbian footballer.

Notable Deaths

Died Before 1900

• 640 – Pepin of Landen, an important Frankish lord.
• 956 – Theophylact, a religious leader in Constantinople.
• 1706 – John Evelyn, an English gardener and writer.
• 1735 – John Arbuthnot, a Scottish physician and writer.
• 1795 – Tanikaze Kajinosuke, a famous Japanese sumo wrestler.
• 1887 – Alexander Borodin, a Russian composer and chemist.
• 1892 – Louis Vuitton, a French fashion designer who founded the famous brand.

Died After 1900

• 1936 – Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on digestion.
• 1943 – Kostis Palamas, a Greek poet and playwright.
• 1968 – Frankie Lymon, an American singer.
• 1977 – John Dickson Carr, an American author known for mystery novels.
• 1986 – Jacques Plante, a famous Canadian ice hockey player.
• 1989 – Konrad Lorenz, an Austrian zoologist who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
• 1993 – Lillian Gish, a pioneering American actress.
• 1998 – George H. Hitchings, an American pharmacologist who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
• 2002 – Spike Milligan, a beloved Irish comedian and author.
• 2003 – Fred Rogers, the kind American television host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."
• 2008 – William F. Buckley, Jr., an American author and journalist.
• 2011 – Frank Buckles, the last American veteran of World War I.
• 2011 – Necmettin Erbakan, a former Prime Minister of Turkey.
• 2011 – Duke Snider, a famous American baseball player.
• 2013 – Van Cliburn, a renowned American pianist.
• 2015 – Boris Nemtsov, a Russian politician.
• 2015 – Leonard Nimoy, the American actor famous for playing Spock in Star Trek.

Holidays and Observances

• Christian feast day:
  • Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
  • George Herbert (Anglicanism)
  • Honorina
  • Leander
  • February 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Doctors' Day (Vietnam)
• Independence Day (Dominican Republic), celebrating the first independence of Dominican Republic from Haiti in 1844.
• Majuba Day (some Afrikaners in South Africa)
• Marathi Language Day (Maharashtra, India)
• World NGO Day

Images for kids

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  A friendly robot waving.