This week in history…

February 1, 1790:

New York City

The first session of the Supreme Court took place, with Chief Justice John Jay presiding. As members of the highest court in the nation, the nine justices are responsible for interpreting the Constitution and thereby establishing the legal precedents all of the nation’s courts will follow. Some notable decisions include Brown v. The Board of Education, which desegregated schools in the South, and Roe v. Wade, which legalized some forms of abortion.

February 3, 1973:

Vietnam

Amongst a growing Watergate scandal, former President Richard Nixon kept one key promise—to end the fighting in Vietnam. On this day, the formal cease-fire went into effect. The lingering effects of the controversial war last to this day. That period marked an unprecedented era of protest and civil disobedience.

February 5, 1631:

American colonies

Roger Williams arrived at the British colonies in America. Before the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, there was Williams. He was the first dissenter in our history, as he made religious freedom the law in Rhode Island.

February 6, 1959:

United States

The United States successfully tested the Titan intercontinental ballistic missile. Twenty-six years later, on this day, Australia broke an agreement with the United States regarding nuclear policy, becoming the first country to become antinuclear.