This Day In History, February 17th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on February 17th.
After a tie vote in the Electoral College, the House of Representatives elected Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States in 1801.
During the American Civil War, General William T. Sherman's Union army entered Columbia, South Carolina, and began burning and looting the city.
Morris Michtom, the Teddy bear's creator, sold the first successful Teddy bear in 1904. President Theodore Roosevelt inspired the name of the teddy bear.
In 1972, the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed the previous record-holder, the Ford Model T, to become the most-produced car in history.
During the American Civil War, Union naval forces led by Admiral David Farragut captured the Confederate port of Mobile Bay, Alabama, on February 17, 1864.
This Day In History, February 17th, 1801: Thomas Jefferson was elected the third President of the United States.
Thomas Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, tied in the Electoral College with 73 electoral votes each in the presidential election of 1800. The election was then thrown to the House of Representatives, which had to choose between the two candidates. Jefferson was elected President on February 17, 1801, after 36 rounds of voting, with the support of Alexander Hamilton and other Federalist leaders who saw him as a lesser evil than Burr. The House of Representatives decided a presidential election for the first time in American history.
February 4th, 1865, during the American Civil War, the Union army under General William T. Sherman entered Columbia, South Carolina, and began burning and looting the city.
General William T. Sherman led his Union troops into Columbia, South Carolina, on February 17, 1865, the state capital and an important Confederate stronghold during the American Civil War. The city was largely undefended, and Union troops quickly overran it, setting fire to homes and businesses and looting them. The exact cause of the fires is unknown, but it is assumed that they were started by Union soldiers or Confederate troops attempting to prevent Union forces from seizing valuable supplies. The burning of Columbia was a contentious event, with some accusing Sherman and his troops of destroying a civilian target on purpose, while others saw it as a necessary military action in the context of the war.
In 1904, the first successful Teddy bear was sold by its creator, Morris Michtom. The teddy bear was named after President Theodore Roosevelt.
The teddy bear is named after President Theodore Roosevelt, who was an avid hunter who visited Mississippi in 1902. He refused to shoot a small black bear that had been captured and tied to a tree during the trip, citing it as unsportsmanlike. This incident was widely reported in the media and inspired Morris Michtom, a Russian immigrant living in Brooklyn, New York, to create a stuffed toy bear. Michtom's bear was the first commercially successful teddy bear, and it was marketed as "Teddy's bear" in honor of President Teddy Roosevelt. The teddy bear's popularity grew quickly, and it has remained a popular children's toy ever since.
In 1972, the Volkswagen Beetle became the most-produced car in history.
Fifty years ago, on February 17th, 1972, the 15,007,034th Volkswagen Beetle was produced in Wolfsburg, Germany, surpassing the production record that had previously only been held by the Ford Model T. In celebration of that record-breaking achievement, Volkswagen released the commemorative World Champion special edition, which was sold through March that year. Today, we salute the humble “Bug” and the legacy that it built as one of history’s most significant automobiles.
On February 17, 1864, the Union naval forces, led by Admiral David Farragut, captured the Confederate port of Mobile Bay, Alabama.
The battle was a major victory for the Union forces and marked a significant turning point in the war. Mobile Bay was an important Confederate naval base and the capture of the port allowed Union forces to blockade the Gulf Coast and isolate the Confederacy from its foreign allies. The battle is particularly famous for Farragut's famous order: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" as his fleet sailed past the Confederate mines (known as torpedoes) and engaged the Confederate naval forces in a fierce battle.