On this day: 1 March

Emperor Diocletian and Maximian appoint Constantius Chlorus and Galerius as Caesars. This is considered the beginning of the Tetrarchy, known as the Quattuor Principes Mundi ("Four Rulers of the World").

Vetranio proclaims himself Caesar after being encouraged to do so by Constantina, sister of Constantius II.

Emperor Louis the Pious is restored as sole ruler of the Frankish Empire.

University of Coimbra, in Portugal, is officially chartered by King Denis.

Samuel de Champlain reclaims his role as commander of New France on behalf of Cardinal Richelieu.

The Articles of Confederation goes into effect in the United States.

The Dutch East India Company is nationalized by the Batavian Republic.

Samuel Chase, the only Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to be impeached, was acquitted by the Senate.

Napoleon returns to France from his banishment on Elba.

A convention of delegates from 57 Texas communities convenes in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas, to deliberate independence from Mexico.

United States President John Tyler signs a bill authorizing the United States to annex the Republic of Texas.

Nebraska is admitted as the 37th U.S. state.

The Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev (pictured) finished his design of the first periodic table.

The victorious Prussian Army parades through Paris, France, after the end of the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.

Yellowstone National Park (bison pictured), located mostly in the present-day U.S. state of Wyoming, was established by President Ulysses S. Grant.

Electrical engineer Nikola Tesla gives the first public demonstration of radio in St. Louis, Missouri.

French physicist Henri Becquerel discovered the principle of radioactive decay when he exposed photographic plates to uranium salts.

Ethiopia defeated Italy at the Battle of Adwa, ending the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

The Australian Army is formed.

China joins the Universal Postal Union.

The Zimmermann Telegram is reprinted in newspapers across the United States after the U.S. government releases its unencrypted text.

March 1st Movement begins in Korea under Japanese rule.

The Kronstadt rebellion began following mass protests in Petrograd demanding greater freedom in Russia with sailors and citizens taking up arms against the Bolsheviks.

The Australian cricket team, led by Warwick Armstrong, became the first team to complete a whitewash in the Ashes, an achievement that would not be repeated for 86 years.

Hoover Dam, straddling the Arizona–Nevada border on the Colorado River, was completed.

World War II: Bulgaria signs the Tripartite Pact, allying itself with the Axis powers.

World War II: Japanese forces land on Java, the main island of the Dutch East Indies, at Merak and Banten Bay (Banten), Eretan Wetan (Indramayu) and Kragan (Rembang).

World War II: American and Australian troops won the Battle of Sio against Japanese forces as part of the New Guinea campaign.

The International Monetary Fund begins financial operations.

The International Air Transport Association finalizes a draft of the Radiotelephony spelling alphabet for the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Formation of the East German Nationale Volksarmee.

Samuel Alphonsus Stritch is appointed Pro-Prefect of the Propagation of Faith and thus becomes the first U.S. member of the Roman Curia.

Uganda becomes self-governing and holds its first elections.

The Ba'ath Party takes power in Syria.

President of Pakistan Yahya Khan indefinitely postpones the pending national assembly session, precipitating massive civil disobedience in East Pakistan.

Provisional Irish Republican Army member Bobby Sands begins his hunger strike in HM Prison Maze.

Bosnia and Herzegovina declares its independence from Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Titanic becomes the first film to gross over $1 billion worldwide.

U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins in eastern Afghanistan.

Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-109 to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

The Envisat environmental satellite successfully launches aboard an Ariane 5 rocket to reach an orbit of 800 km (500 mi) above the Earth, which was the then-largest payload at 10.5 m long and with a diameter of 4.57 m.

Management of the United States Customs Service and the United States Secret Service moves to the United States Department of Homeland Security.

English-language Wikipedia reaches its one millionth article, Jordanhill railway station.