Major Events of February 1900: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 1900 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of February 1900: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Feb 1900 Brownie Camera Introduction: Eastman Kodak Company revolutionized photography by introducing the Brownie camera, making photography more accessible to the general public. This affordable and simple camera democratized image capture and marked a significant technological innovation.
02 Feb 1900 McKinley Bribery Investigation Begins: A federal investigation into political corruption commenced, targeting high-ranking government officials. The investigation, which would later become known as a precursor to modern political accountability efforts, initially implicated a U.S. senator, seven House members, and 31 other public officials in potential bribery schemes.
03 Feb 1900 Assassination of William Goebel: Gubernatorial candidate William Goebel was assassinated in Frankfort, Kentucky. Former Secretary of State Caleb Powers was later found guilty in a conspiracy to kill Goebel, marking a significant political violence incident in Kentucky's history.
04 Feb 1900 Birth of Jacques Prévert, French Poet and Screenwriter: Jacques Prévert, a renowned French poet and screenwriter, was born. He would later become famous for his poetry collection 'Paroles' and significant contributions to French literature and cinema in the mid-20th century.
05 Feb 1900 Hay-Pauncefote Treaty for Panama Canal: The United States and the United Kingdom signed a diplomatic treaty that would ultimately pave the way for the construction of the Panama Canal, a critical maritime infrastructure project that would revolutionize global shipping routes.
06 Feb 1900 Establishment of the International Arbitration Court: The Netherlands' Senate ratified a decree from the 1899 Hague Peace Conference, formally establishing the International Arbitration Court at The Hague. This landmark event represented a significant step towards international diplomatic conflict resolution and peaceful dispute settlement.
07 Feb 1900 Formation of the British Labour Party: The British Labour Party is officially established, marking a significant moment in the political evolution of the United Kingdom. This new political party would go on to become one of the major political forces in British parliamentary democracy, representing the interests of workers and trade unions.
08 Feb 1900 British Defeat at Ladysmith During Second Boer War: British military forces suffered a significant defeat by Boer troops at Ladysmith, South Africa, marking a critical moment in the Second Boer War. This battle highlighted the tactical prowess of the Boer forces and the challenges faced by the British imperial army in the region.
09 Feb 1900 Davis Cup Tennis Trophy Established: Dwight Davis, an American tennis player and businessman, established the Davis Cup, an international tennis competition that would become one of the most prestigious team events in tennis history. The trophy was created to foster international competition and camaraderie among tennis-playing nations.
10 Feb 1900 World Record Speed Skating Performance: Peter Ostlund set a remarkable world record in speed skating, completing the 500-meter distance in an impressive 45.2 seconds. This achievement represented a significant milestone in the early history of competitive speed skating, showcasing the athletic prowess and technological advancements in skating equipment during the turn of the 20th century.
11 Feb 1900 Vladimir Lenin Released from Siberian Exile: After serving a four-year exile in the remote Siberian village of Shushenskoye, Vladimir Lenin was finally freed. Accompanied by his wife, he embarked on a challenging 320-kilometer (200-mile) horseback journey to Ufa, arriving on February 18, 1900. This period of exile was crucial for Lenin, during which he wrote extensively on Marxist theory and developed his political ideology that would later shape the Russian Revolution.
12 Feb 1900 Theodore Roosevelt's Vice Presidential Candidacy Statement: On February 12, 1900, New York Governor Theodore Roosevelt publicly declared his unwillingness to be considered as a vice presidential candidate. In a clear and definitive statement, he emphasized that under no circumstances would he accept a nomination for the vice presidency, despite press speculation and personal correspondence urging him to do so.
13 Feb 1900 Tragic Death of U.S. Representative Charles A. Chickering: On February 13, 1900, U.S. Representative Charles A. Chickering met a tragic and unexpected end when he fell from the fourth-floor window of his New York City residence. The circumstances surrounding his death were mysterious and sudden, cutting short the political career of a prominent congressional figure. The incident raised questions about the potential causes of such a fatal accident, whether it was an unfortunate mishap or something more sinister.
14 Feb 1900 British Invasion of Orange Free State during Second Boer War: On February 14, 1900, British General Lord Roberts launched a significant military campaign by invading the Orange Free State with approximately 20,000 troops during the Second Boer War. This invasion marked a critical moment in the conflict between British imperial forces and the Boer republics in South Africa.
15 Feb 1900 Lifting of the Siege of Kimberley: During the Second Boer War, the strategic siege of Kimberley was finally lifted on February 15, 1900, after four months of intense resistance by British forces and local inhabitants against Boer attackers. General French's relief operation successfully broke the siege, marking a significant turning point in the conflict and providing a crucial morale boost to British colonial forces.
16 Feb 1900 Antarctic Exploration Milestone: Three members of the Anglo-Norwegian Southern Cross Expedition successfully crossed the Great Ice Barrier (now known as the Ross Ice Barrier) in Antarctica, advancing scientific understanding of the continent's challenging terrain.
17 Feb 1900 Formation of the British Labour Party: The British Labour Party was officially established, marking a pivotal moment in British political history. Ramsay MacDonald was appointed as the party's first secretary, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the United Kingdom's major political parties. This event represented a significant shift in the British political landscape, giving formal representation to working-class interests and trade union movements.
18 Feb 1900 Vladimir Lenin Released from Siberian Exile: After four years of exile in the remote Siberian village of Shushenskoye, Vladimir Lenin was released. This moment would prove pivotal in his eventual rise to leadership in the Russian revolutionary movement, setting the stage for the dramatic political transformations that would reshape Russia in the coming decades.
19 Feb 1900 Birth of Giorgos Seferis: Giorgos Seferis, a prominent Greek poet, diplomat, and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, was born. He would later become one of the most significant modern Greek poets, known for his modernist style and contributions to Greek literature. Seferis was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1963 and played a crucial role in 20th-century Greek cultural and literary development.
20 Feb 1900 Death of Chief Washakie, Legendary Shoshone Leader: Chief Washakie, a prominent Native American leader who guided the Shoshone tribe for nearly eight decades, passed away at the age of 97 at his home. Known for his diplomatic skills and strategic leadership, Washakie was a significant figure in Native American history during a tumultuous period of westward expansion and conflict between Indigenous peoples and European settlers. He was renowned for his ability to negotiate and maintain relative peace for his people during challenging times.
21 Feb 1900 Establishment of the Davis Cup Tennis Trophy: Dwight F. Davis, president of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA), officially announced the creation of an international tennis championship trophy in Boston. Davis personally donated a prestigious silver bowl to be awarded to the winning nation, marking the inception of what would become one of the most significant international tennis competitions. The inaugural competition was set to take place in August between the United Kingdom and the United States, establishing a landmark moment in international tennis history.
22 Feb 1900 Hawaii Becomes US Territory: Hawaii was officially annexed by the United States, becoming a U.S. territory. This marked a significant moment in American expansionism and had profound implications for Hawaiian sovereignty and culture.
23 Feb 1900 British First Attempt at Hart's Hill: During the Battle of the Tugela Heights in the Second Boer War, the British made their initial unsuccessful attempt to capture Hart's Hill, demonstrating the challenging nature of the military campaign and the resistance of Boer forces.
24 Feb 1900 Uneventful Day in History: On February 24, 1900, no significant historical events were recorded. This day appears to have been relatively quiet in terms of global or local historical developments. While not every day marks a momentous occasion, such periods of apparent calm are also part of the broader historical narrative.
25 Feb 1900 Deadly Warehouse Fire in Saint-Ouen, Paris Suburb: On February 25, 1900, a catastrophic fire erupted in a warehouse block in the Paris suburb of Saint-Ouen, resulting in a tragic incident that claimed six lives and injured over 150 bystanders. The large-scale blaze drew significant crowds of onlookers, many of whom were hurt during the chaotic scene, highlighting the dangerous nature of public emergency situations in early 20th-century urban environments.
26 Feb 1900 German Naval Strategy Meeting with Kaiser Wilhelm: Rear Admiral Otto von Diederichs conducted a strategic meeting with Kaiser Wilhelm II to discuss and outline preliminary contingency plans for a potential military conflict with the United States. This meeting represented an early stage of German military strategic planning in the context of emerging global tensions at the turn of the 20th century.
27 Feb 1900 Formation of the Labour Representation Committee: On February 27, 1900, a pivotal moment in British political history occurred when 120 delegates gathered at the Congregational Memorial Hall on Farringdon Road in London to establish the Labour Representation Committee, which would later evolve into the modern British Labour Party. This meeting marked a significant milestone in the organized labor movement, bringing together trade unionists, socialists, and working-class political activists to create a formal political representation for workers' interests.
28 Feb 1900 Relief of Ladysmith During Second Boer War: General Buller's British troops successfully lifted the siege of Ladysmith, breaking through Boer lines in a significant military operation during the Second Boer War, marking a crucial turning point in the conflict.