Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/February 20

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

February 20: Presidents' Day in the United States and Family Day in Alberta, Canada (2006)

• 1472 - James III of Scotland annexed the Orkney and Shetland Islands from Denmark-Norway.
• 1810 - Andreas Hofer, a Tyrolean patriot and the leader of a rebellion against Napoleon's forces, was executed.
• 1913 - King O'Malley (pictured) drove in the first survey peg to mark the commencement of work on the construction of Canberra, Australia.
• 1959 - The Avro Arrow supersonic jet fighters programme in Canada was cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.
• 1965 - The Ranger 8 spacecraft successfully transmitted 7,137 photographs of the moon in the final 23 minutes of its mission before crashing in Mare Tranquillitatis.

Recent days: February 19 – February 18 – February 17