From Historynet: Today in History February 2

962             Otto I  invades Italy and is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

1032          Conrad II  claims the throne of France.

1494          Columbus  begins the practice of using Indians as slaves.

1571          All eight members of a Jesuit mission in Virginia are murdered by Indians who pretended to be their friends.

1626          Charles I  is crowned King of England. Fierce internal struggles between the monarchy and Parliament characterized 17th century English politics.

1848          The Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo formally ends the Mexican War.

1865          Confederate raider William Quantrill  and his bushwackers rob citizens, burn a railroad depot and steal horses from Midway, Kentucky.

1870          The press agencies Havas, Reuter and Wolff sign an agreement whereby between them they can cover the whole world.

1876          The National Baseball League is founded with eight teams.

1900          Six cities, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis agree to form baseball's American League.

1901          Mexican government troops are badly beaten by Yaqui Indians.

1916          U.S. Senate votes independence for Philippines, effective in 1921.

1921          Airmail service opens between New York and San Francisco. Airmail's First Day.

1934          Alfred Rosenberg  is made philosophical chief of the Nazi Party.

1939          Hungary breaks relations with the Soviet Union.

1943          Last of the German strongholds at Stalingrad surrender to the Red Army.

1944          The Germans stop an Allied attack at Anzio, Italy.

1945          Some 1,200 Royal Air Force planes blast Wiesbaden and Karlsruhe.

1948          The United States and Italy sign a pact of friendship, commerce and navigation.

1959          Arlington and Norfolk, Va., peacefully desegregate public schools.

1960           The U.S. Senate approves 23rd Amendment calling for a ban on the poll tax.

1972          The Winter Olympics begin in Sapporo, Japan.

1978          U.S. Jewish leaders bar a meeting with Egypt's 

Anwar Sadat .

1987          Largest steel strike in American history, in progress since August, ends.