Mar 6

Mar 6 What Happened on March 6 in History?

On this day in history, March 6, several pivotal legal, political, and cultural milestones occurred, most notably the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Dred Scott decision and the end of the Battle of the Alamo.

Major Historical Events

1836: Fall of the Alamo – After a 13-day siege, Mexican forces led by General Santa Anna stormed the Alamo mission in San Antonio, killing all Texian defenders, including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie.
1857: Dred Scott Decision – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7–2 that African Americans could not be citizens and that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in federal territories, a decision that intensified the divide leading to the Civil War.
1869: Periodic Table Introduced – Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev presented the first version of the periodic table of elements to the Russian Chemical Society.
1957: Ghana’s Independence – Led by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African colony to gain independence from British rule.
1964: Muhammad Ali’s Name Change – Shortly after winning the heavyweight title, Cassius Clay officially adopted the name Muhammad Ali, given to him by Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad.
1981: Walter Cronkite’s Farewell – Known as "the most trusted man in America," Cronkite signed off from his final broadcast as the anchor of the CBS Evening News with his signature phrase, "And that's the way it is".

Science, Tech & Culture

1899: Aspirin Trademarked – The German company Bayer officially registered the name "Aspirin" for its new pain-relieving drug.
1912: Oreo Cookies Debut – The National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) first introduced Oreo cookies to the market.
1924: King Tut’s Mummy Unveiled – The Egyptian government officially opened the mummy case of King Tutankhamun, which had been discovered by Howard Carter two years earlier.
1992: Michelangelo Virus – A widespread computer virus designed to activate on Michelangelo's birthday caused a global scare, though it ultimately affected fewer machines than predicted.
2015: Orbiting Ceres – NASA's Dawn spacecraft became the first to orbit a dwarf planet when it reached Ceres in the asteroid belt.

Notable Birthdays & Deaths