This Day in History

On Feb. 6, 1952, Britain's King George VI, 56, died at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England; he was succeeded as monarch by his 25-year-old eldest daughter, who became Queen Elizabeth II.

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In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War, the United States won official recognition and military support from France with the signing of the Treaty of Alliance in Paris.

In 1862, during the Civil War, Fort Henry in Tennessee fell to Union forces.

In 1899, a peace treaty between the United States and Spain was ratified by the U.S. Senate; the treaty ended the Spanish-American War and ceded the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States.

In 1921, "The Kid," Charlie Chaplin's first feature-length film, was released across the United States.

In 1998, Washington National Airport was renamed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, honoring the former president on his 87th birthday.

In 2013, toy maker Hasbro Inc. announced that Monopoly fans had voted online to add a cat token to the board game, replacing the iron.

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the 70th anniversary of her ascendance to the British throne, an unprecedented reign that made her a symbol of stability in the United Kingdom.

In 2023, a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, toppling thousands of buildings and trapping residents under mounds of rubble; the death toll would eventually surpass 50,000.

Today's birthdays: Actor Mike Farrell is 87. Former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw is 86. Singer Fabian is 83. Filmmaker Jim Sheridan is 77. Tennis Hall of Famer Manuel Orantes is 77. Actor Kathy Najimy is 69. Actor-director Robert Townsend is 69. Rock singer Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) is 64. Singer Rick Astley is 60. Actor Charlie Heaton is 32. Actor Shelby Simmons is 24.