In History, Today on February 1

Edward III is crowned King of England after the deposition of his father, Edward II.

Queen Elizabeth I of England signs the death warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots.

The Supreme Court of the United States convenes for the first time.

France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands, marking the beginning of the War of the First Coalition.

Texas secedes from the United States, joining the Confederate States of America.

President Abraham Lincoln signs the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, abolishing slavery.

The first volume (A to Ant) of the Oxford English Dictionary is published.

Thomas Edison completes the world's first movie studio, the Black Maria, in West Orange, New Jersey.

King Carlos I of Portugal and his heir, Prince Luis Filipe, are assassinated in Lisbon.

The United Kingdom recognizes the Soviet Union.

Four African American students stage the first Greensboro sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 15 years in exile, marking the beginning of the Iranian Revolution.

The Maastricht Treaty is signed, leading to the creation of the European Union.

The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members.

A hajj stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, resulted in the deaths of 251 pilgrims.

The Egyptian football riot occurred in Port Said, Egypt, leading to the deaths of 74 people and injuring over 500.

The Shard, the tallest building in the European Union at the time, was officially opened to the public in London, UK.

The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to its association with birth defects and neurological disorders.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced its largest single-day point drop at the time, falling 1,175 points, amid fears of rising inflation and interest rates.