1488 – The Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Diaz landed at Mossal Bay in the Cape, the first European known to have landed on the southern extremity of Africa.

1690 – The first paper money in America was issued by the Massachusetts colony. The currency was used to pay soldiers that were fighting in the war against Quebec.

1783 – Spain recognized the independence of the United States.

1809 – The territory of Illinois was created.

1815 – The world’s first commercial cheese factory was established in Switzerland.

1862 – Thomas Edison printed the “Weekly Herald” and distributed it to train passengers traveling between Port Huron and Detroit, MI. It was the first time a newspaper had been printed on a train.

1869 – Edwin Booth opened his new theatre in New York City. The first production was “Romeo and Juliet”.

1900 – In Frankfort, KY, gubernatorial candidate William Goebels died from an assasin’s bullet wounds. On August 18, 1900, Ex-Sec. of State Caleb Powers was found guilt of conspiracy to murder Gov. Goebels.

1913 – The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It authorized the power to impose and collect income tax.

1916 – In Ottawa, Canada’s original parliament buildings burned down.

1917 – The U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.

1918 – The Twin Peaks Tunnel began service. It is the longest streetcar tunnel in the world at 11,920 feet.

1927 – The Federal Radio Commission was created when U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill.

1941 – In Vichy, France, the Nazis used force to restore Pierre Laval to office.

1945 – Russia agreed to enter World War II against Japan.

1946 – The first issue of “Holiday” magazine appeared.

1947 – Percival Prattis became the first black news correspondent admitted to the House and Senate press gallery in Washington, DC. He worked for “Our World” in New York City.

1951 – Dick Button won the U.S. figure skating title for the sixth time.

1951 – The Tennessee Williams play, “The Rose Tattoo”, opened on Broadway in New York.

1966 – The first rocket-assisted controlled landing on the Moon was made by the Soviet space vehicle Luna IX.

1969 – At the Palestinian National Congress in Cairo, Yasser Arafat was appointed leader of the PLO.

1972 – The first Winter Olympics in Asia were held at Sapporo, Japan.

1984 – Challenger 4 was launched as the tenth space shuttle mission.

1989 – South African politician P.W. Botha unwillingly resigned both party leadership and the presidency after suffering a stroke.

1998 – Texas executed Karla Faye Tucker. She was the first woman executed in the U.S. since 1984.

1998 – In Italy, a U.S. Military plane hit a cable causing the death of 20 skiers on a lift.

2009 – Eric Holder was sworn in as attorney general. He was the first African-American to hold the post.

2010 – The Alberto Giacometti sculpture L’Homme qui marche sold for $103.7 million.

2015 – The British House of Commons voted to approve letting scientist create babies from the DNA of three people.

Historical Highlights

The Ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment

February 03, 1913Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
About this objectA long-serving Member, Sereno Payne of New York chaired the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.On this date, the states of Delaware, Wyoming, and New Mexico approved the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratifying it into law. The amendment empowered Congress to impose an income tax on individuals and corporations. During the House debates of S.J. Res. 40, Members had debated the merits of collecting income taxes. Representatives Sereno Payne of New York and Samuel McCall of Massachusetts argued that income taxes should only be levied to raise revenue during times of war. Congressman Ebenezer Hill of Connecticut also worried that the tax could be unfairly levied on constituents in poorer states: “We are ready to vote for an income tax to meet any emergencies which may arise…and to stand by the Government in time of war; but do not ask us…without consultation with our people at home, to put this burden on them in addition to one already severe because of local expenditures… ” Representative William Sulzer of New York, a supporter of the tax, said, “I have been the constant advocate of an income tax along constitutional lines… I reiterate that through it only…will it ever be possible for the Government to be able to make idle wealth pay its just share of the ever-increasing burdens of taxation.” After a brisk debate on July 12, 1909, lasting for five hours, the bill passed 318–14, with 1 voting “present,” and 55 not voting. The Sixteenth Amendment was the first change to the Constitution since the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, which guaranteed African-American male suffrage, 43 years earlier, in 1870.

Related Highlight Subjects

• Artifacts in the House Collection
• Constitution
• Fifteenth Amendment
• Hill, Ebenezer
• Legislation
• Payne, Sereno
• Sulzer, William

1488 – The Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Diaz landed at Mossal Bay in the Cape, the first European known to have landed on the southern extremity of Africa.

1690 – The first paper money in America was issued by the Massachusetts colony. The currency was used to pay soldiers that were fighting in the war against Quebec.

1783 – Spain recognized the independence of the United States.

1809 – The territory of Illinois was created.

1815 – The world’s first commercial cheese factory was established in Switzerland.

1862 – Thomas Edison printed the “Weekly Herald” and distributed it to train passengers traveling between Port Huron and Detroit, MI. It was the first time a newspaper had been printed on a train.

1869 – Edwin Booth opened his new theatre in New York City. The first production was “Romeo and Juliet”.

1874 – A patent was issued to Samuel W. Francis for the spork.

1900 – In Frankfort, KY, gubernatorial candidate William Goebels died from an assasin’s bullet wounds. On August 18, 1900, Ex-Sec. of State Caleb Powers was found guilt of conspiracy to murder Gov. Goebels.

1913 – The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It authorized the power to impose and collect income tax.

1916 – In Ottawa, Canada’s original parliament buildings burned down.

1917 – The U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.

1918 – The Twin Peaks Tunnel began service. It is the longest streetcar tunnel in the world at 11,920 feet.

1927 – The Federal Radio Commission was created when U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill.

1941 – In Vichy, France, the Nazis used force to restore Pierre Laval to office.

1945 – Russia agreed to enter World War II against Japan.

1946 – The first issue of “Holiday” magazine appeared.

1947 – Percival Prattisbecame the first black news correspondent admitted to the House and Senate press gallery in Washington, DC. He worked for “Our World” in New York City.

1951 – Dick Button won the U.S. figure skating title for the sixth time.

1951 – The Tennessee Williams play, “The Rose Tattoo”, opened on Broadway in New York.

1966 – The first rocket-assisted controlled landing on the Moon was made by the Soviet space vehicle Luna IX.

1969 – At the Palestinian National Congress in Cairo, Yasser Arafat was appointed leader of the PLO.

1972 – The first Winter Olympics in Asia were held at Sapporo, Japan.

1984 – Challenger 4 was launched as the tenth space shuttle mission.

1989 – South African politician P.W. Botha unwillingly resigned both party leadership and the presidency after suffering a stroke.

1998 – Texas executed Karla Faye Tucker. She was the first woman executed in the U.S. since 1984.

1998 – In Italy, a U.S. Military plane hit a cable causing the death of 20 skiers on a lift.

2009 – Eric Holder was sworn in as attorney general. He was the first African-American to hold the post.

2010 – The Alberto Giacometti sculpture L’Homme qui marche sold for $103.7 million.

2015 – The British House of Commons voted to approve letting scientist create babies from the DNA of three people.

on-this-day.com

The feature picture is called “The Faces of My People” by Margaret Burroughs b.1917 and made of woodcut on paper.