MONDAY, Feb. 2, 2026

1653-New Amsterdam becomes a city, later renamed New York City

1848-Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican–American War. Mexico loses 55 percent of its territory to the U.S., including California, Nevada and Utah in exchange for $15 million.

1901-Queen Victoria's funeral takes place in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England

1922-James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" is first published by Sylvia Beach in Paris (1,000 copies)

1943-German 6th Army surrenders after the Battle of Stalingrad in a major turning point in Europe during World War II

1971-General Idi Amin ousts Milton Obote and appoints himself President and Dictator of Uganda

1990 — South African President F. W. de Klerk promises to free Nelson Mandela and legalizes ANC and 60 other political organizations

1993-Vaclav Havel becomes the first president of an independent Czech Republic, after the split with Slovakia