On this day: 24 February

Pope Gregory XIII announces a new calendar

Pope Gregory XIII announced changes to the calendar. The old Julian calendar had a leap year every four years, which made it slowly drift out of step with the seasons. In the new Gregorian calendar, years ending in 00 are only leap years if they can be divided by 400. To catch up, 10 days were skipped in October 1582. Britain switched in 1752, and most of the world uses this calendar today.

Peer Gynt opens with music by Edvard Grieg

Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt was first performed on stage in Christiania, now Oslo, in Norway. It came with music written for it by the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. Grieg later turned some of the music into two suites, which include the famous pieces 'Morning Mood' and 'In the Hall of the Mountain King'. Ibsen is often called 'the father of modern drama'.

Space Shuttle Discovery blasts off on its final mission

NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery launched on its 39th and final mission, STS-133, to the International Space Station. Its crew of six astronauts landed back on Earth on 9 March. Over 27 years, Discovery launched and landed 39 times, more spaceflights than any other spacecraft. Nearly 25,000 heat-resistant tiles covered the shuttle to protect it from great heat.

King Huneric of the Vandals replaces Nicene bishops with Arian ones, and banishes some to Corsica.

A Spanish-Austrian army defeats a French army at the Battle of Pavia.

Coronation of Ferdinand I as the king of Bohemia in Prague.

The last battle of the Cudgel War takes place on the Santavuori Hill in Ilmajoki, Ostrobothnia.

Battle of Karnal: The army of Iranian ruler Nader Shah defeats the forces of the Mughal emperor of India, Muhammad Shah.

In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional for the first time, forming the basis of judicial review in the United States.

Treaty of Paris between Napoleon and Frederick William III of Prussia against Russia is signed.

Final stage of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain with Plan of Iguala.

The first Swaminarayan temple in the world, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad, is inaugurated.

The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, the first removal treaty in accordance with the Indian Removal Act, is proclaimed. The Choctaws in Mississippi cede land east of the river in exchange for payment and land in the West.

King Louis-Philippe of France abdicates the throne.

Arizona is organized as a United States territory.

Andrew Johnson became the first U.S. president to be impeached.

China and Russia sign the Sino-Russian Ili Treaty.

Revolution breaks out in Baire, a town near Santiago de Cuba, beginning the Cuban War of Independence; the war ends along with the Spanish–American War in 1898.

The Governor-General of Korea establishes a clinic called Jahyewon in Sorokdo to segregate Hansen's disease patients.

Estonian Declaration of Independence.

Voice of America makes its first broadcast.

The Battle of Los Angeles: A false alarm leads to an anti-aircraft barrage that lasts into the early hours of February 25.

World War II: The Battle of Kasserine Pass, the first major engagement between American and Axis forces in Africa, ended with the Allied forces suffering heavy losses.

World War II: First large-scale protest march resulting in clashes with the Axis occupation forces and collaborationist police in Athens against rumours of forced mobilization of Greek workers for work in Germany.

Colonel Juan Perón, founder of the political movement that became known as Peronism, is elected to his first term as President of Argentina.

The Armistice Agreements are signed, to formally end the hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Ghanaian coup d'état by National Liberation Council overthrows Kwame Nkrumah's Government

Cultural Revolution: Zhang Chunqiao announces the dissolution of the Shanghai People's Commune, replacing its local government with a revolutionary committee.

Vietnam War: Led by Ngô Quang Trưởng, South Vietnamese forces recaptured the citadel of Huế.

The 1976 constitution of Cuba is formally proclaimed.

A special commission of the United States Congress condemns the Japanese American internment during World War II.

Gulf War: Ground troops cross the Saudi Arabian border and enter Iraq, thus beginning the ground phase of the war.

Pope John Paul II arrives in Egypt for a three-day stay as part of the Great Jubilee, marking the first papal visit in modern Egyptian history

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declares Proclamation 1017 placing the country in a state of emergency in an attempt to subdue a possible military coup.

Japan launches its fourth spy satellite, stepping up its ability to monitor potential threats such as North Korea.

Fidel Castro retires as the President of Cuba and the Council of Ministers after 32 years. He would remain as head of the Communist Party for another three years.

Mahathir Mohamad resigns as Prime Minister of Malaysia following an attempt to replace the Pakatan Harapan government, which triggered the 2020-2022 Malaysian political crisis.