On This Day - What Happened On February 3 | Britannica

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1690 Paper money is printed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony On this day in 1690 (or 1691), the Massachusetts Bay Colony printed £40,000 in paper money, an act that was technically banned by the English crown. This was the first time paper money became widespread in the West, but after conflicts such as King William's War and the French and Indian War, the cash rapidly depreciated in value—by almost 40 percent within a year. Regardless, other American colonies began printing money too. Read today's edition of Today in History > > © Vlad Ivantcov/stock.adobe.com

Featured Biography

Felix Mendelssohn German musician and composer bornFebruary 3, 1809Hamburg, GermanydiedNovember 4, 1847 (aged 38)Leipzig, Germany© Photos.com/Getty Images 1956 Nathan Lane American actor 1904 Pretty Boy Floyd American gangster 1894 Norman Rockwell American illustrator 1874 Gertrude Stein American writer 1821 Elizabeth Blackwell British American physician See All Biographies On This Day

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2005 Alberto R. Gonzales was sworn in as the attorney general of the United States, becoming the first Hispanic American to occupy the post. Take our quiz about American history and politicsU.S. Department of Justice 1995 American astronaut Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle, the Discovery. She later became the first woman to command a space shuttle mission, in 1999. Take our space exploration quizNASA 1975 Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum, who was one of the most famous Arab singers and public personalities of the 20th century, died in Cairo. Test your knowledge of musiciansJacques Marqueton—AP/Shutterstock.com 1960 The Italian dramedy La dolce vita (“The Sweet Life”), which was directed by Federico Fellini, had its world premiere, and it became widely hailed as one of the most important films in cinema. The film is known for introducing the word paparazzi to the English language. Read Martin Scorsese's essay about film preservationRiama Film and Pathé Consortium Cinéma; photograph from a private collection 1959 American rock 'n' roll singer Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash at age 22. Holly was known for his distinctive style of playing the electric guitar. Read about “The Day the Music Died”Photo by Dick Cole, Waterloo, IA 1924 Former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson, who was president when the U.S. entered World War I, died at age 67. Read about Wilson's role in establishing the League of NationsEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1917 Not yet involved in World War I, the United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany after the Germans announced their intention to practice unrestricted submarine warfare. How much do you know about World War I?Library of Congress, Serials and Government Publications Division, Washington, D.C. (call no. D522 .W28 1919) 1913 The Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, granting Congress the authority to levy income taxes, was ratified. Match the amendment number to its purpose in our quizNARA 1874 Avant-garde writer Gertrude Stein, whose Paris home was a salon for the leading artists and writers of the period between World Wars I and II, was born. Test your knowledge of famous authorsCarl Van Vechten/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZ62-103678) 1870 The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified, guaranteeing Americans the right to vote regardless of race. Read more about the American civil rights movementLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C. (Digital File Number: cph 3g02399) 1865 In a personal meeting with Confederate representatives, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln offered liberal pardons in exchange for the South's quitting the Civil War, with reunion as a precondition of peace—an offer that was rejected. How much do you know about Abraham Lincoln?Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 1811 Horace Greeley, known as one of the most persuasive antislavery voices in the antebellum North, was born in Amherst, New Hampshire. Take our quiz about the history of slavery in North AmericaLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C. 1468 Johannes Gutenberg, whose mechanized printing press simplified the process of mass-producing books, died in Mainz. Test your knowledge of famous people in history© Georgios Kollidas/Fotolia SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.