In History, Today on February 8

British actress Emma Corrin, known for their role as Princess Diana in 'The Crown,' was announced as the lead in Robert O’Hara’s 20th anniversary direction of 'Wet, Hot, American Summer' musical adaptation, originally planned for Broadway.

Protests erupted in Myanmar against the military coup that took place on February 1, 2021, with thousands of people taking to the streets in cities across the country.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket carrying what it claimed was a satellite, drawing international condemnation as it was widely seen as a test of ballistic missile technology.

The 2014 Winter Olympics continued in Sochi, Russia, showcasing events in figure skating, skiing, and other winter sports.

A blizzard, later named Winter Storm Nemo, hit the northeastern United States and parts of Canada, causing widespread power outages and significant snowfall, with some areas receiving over 30 inches of snow.

A freak storm in the Hindu Kush mountains triggered a series of avalanches that buried over 200 people in the Salang Pass, Afghanistan, resulting in at least 172 deaths.

South Korea signs a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Cebu.

North Korea publicly announced for the first time that it possessed nuclear weapons, escalating tensions in the region and complicating diplomatic efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

The XIX Olympic Winter Games opened in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, marking the first Winter Olympics held in the United States since 1980.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, the first major overhaul of telecommunication law in more than sixty years.

General Motors sued NBC after the network's Dateline NBC program aired a report showing GM trucks exploding upon impact. NBC later settled the lawsuit.

The Winter Olympics opened in Calgary, Canada. These Games were notable for the participation of the Jamaican bobsled team.

The Melbourne dust storm, one of the worst in Australian history, blanketed the city with red dust from the outback.

After 84 days in space, the last crew of the Skylab space station returned to Earth.

The NASDAQ stock market index opened for the first time, becoming the world's first electronic stock market.

The Ba'ath Party came to power in Iraq after a coup d'état, marking the beginning of a period of Ba'athist rule.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom issued an Order-in-Council, stating that she and her family would be known as the House of Windsor, and that her descendants would bear the name Mountbatten-Windsor.

Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom after the death of her father, King George VI.

The Stasi, or Ministry for State Security, was established in East Germany to conduct domestic surveillance and espionage.

The Battle of Guadalcanal ended with a strategic victory for the Allies, marking a turning point in the Pacific War during World War II.

The first execution by gas chamber in the United States took place in Nevada, with Gee Jon as the first person executed by this method.

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by William D. Boyce.

The Russo-Japanese War began with a surprise attack by the Japanese on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur.

The Davis Cup, the prestigious international men's tennis tournament, was established and the trophy was first offered. The idea was initiated by Dwight F. Davis, a Harvard student, for a competition between the U.S. and British Isles teams.

The Dawes Act, also known as the General Allotment Act, was enacted by the United States Congress. This act authorized the federal government to divide tribal lands into individual plots and aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society by encouraging farming practices in line with Anglo-American culture.

Richard Johnson became the Vice President of the United States under President Martin Van Buren, notable as the only Vice President elected by the United States Senate through the process laid out by the Twelfth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, due to no candidate achieving a majority of electoral votes.

The Battle of Eylau was fought between Napoleon's Grande Armée and the Russian army, resulting in a bloody and inconclusive outcome.

Catherine I ascends to the throne of the Russian Empire after the death of her husband, Peter the Great. She becomes the first woman to rule Imperial Russia, marking the beginning of a significant era of female leadership in Russian history.

The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, was granted a royal charter by King William III and Queen Mary II of England. It is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, after Harvard University.

Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed for her involvement in plots to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I of England.

The Seventh Crusade suffered a major setback as the Ayyubid Egyptians defeated the Crusaders at the Battle of Al Mansurah.

Pope Paschal II issues a papal bull in response to disputes regarding investiture.

Pope John XII crowns Otto I as Holy Roman Emperor, marking the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Fourth Council of Constantinople closes, which was the eighth ecumenical council of the Christian Church.

Constantius III is elevated to the rank of co-emperor of the Western Roman Empire alongside Honorius.