February 1

What happened on February 1 in history

4 events fall on February 1, from 1884 to 2003. Read them below, then try to place a historical scene yourself — guess where in the world it happened and in what year.

Guess where and when

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Events on February 1

  1. 1884

    The first Oxford English Dictionary fascicle appears

    A to Ant is published, the opening instalment of a project that runs for decades.

    Play the 19th century round

  2. 1908

    Portugal's king is assassinated

    Carlos I and his heir are shot in an open carriage in Lisbon's Terreiro do Paço.

    Play the 20th century round

  3. 1960

    The Greensboro sit-in begins

    Four students sit at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter and refuse to leave.

    Play the 20th century round

  4. 2003

    The Columbia shuttle breaks up

    Damage from launch destroys the orbiter during re-entry over Texas.