1704 – The town of Deerfield, Massachusetts, was razed in the bloodiest battle of Queen Anne’s War. 1768 – The Confederation of Bar was organized to defend the privileges of the Roman Catholic Church and the independence of Poland against Russian encroachment. 1920 – A new, democratic constitution was adopted by the National Assembly elected by Czech and Slovak leaders, furthering the consolidation of the two states into Czechoslovakia. 1692 – First people are accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba, a West Indian slave. 1904 – Theodore Roosevelt, appoints 7-man Panama Canal Commission to proceed with completing a canal at the Isthmus. 1960 – Agadir earthquake in Morocco kills a third of the population (12,000-15,000). 1984 – Pierre Trudeau announces he is stepping down after 15 years as Canadian Prime Minister. 1992 – The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina held a referendum on independence that won almost unanimous support, and on March 3 independence was proclaimed, prompting shelling by Serbian forces.
Births & Deaths:1896 – Indian politician Morarji Desai—who, as prime minister of India (1977–79), was the first leader of sovereign India not to represent the long-ruling Indian National Congress party—was born.
Sport: 1980 – Gordie Howe becomes 1st NHL player to score 800 career goals
Music: 1968 – Beatles’ – “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” wins Grammy Award for Album of the Year, the first rock LP to do so
TV & Film:1940 – Hattie McDaniel becomes 1st African American woman to win an Oscar for “Gone with the Wind” 2004 – The Return of the King—the last installment in the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings—received 11 Academy Awards, tying the record held by Ben-Hur (1959) and Titanic (1997).
