On This Day: February 28th

Liu Bang is enthroned as the Emperor of China, beginning four centuries of rule by the Han dynasty.

The 1948 Accra riots erupt following a march by ex-servicemen of the Gold Coast Regiment towards the seat of the colonial government at Christiansborg Castle, where they were fired upon by Superintendant Colin Imray, leading to the killing of Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey and the arrest of the Big Six in the Gold Coast.

February 28 incident: In Taiwan, civil disorder is put down with the death of an estimated 18,000 - 28,000 civilians.

The Charlevoix-Kamouraska earthquake strikes northeastern North America.

The United Kingdom ends its protectorate over Egypt through a Unilateral Declaration of Independence.

A gun explodes on board the steam warship USS Princeton during a pleasure cruise down the Potomac River, killing six, including Secretary of State Abel Upshur. President John Tyler, who is also on board, is not injured from the blast.

Elias Lönnrot signs and dates the foreword to the first version of the Kalevala, the so-called Old Kalevala.

The Scottish National Covenant is signed in Edinburgh.

Aztec king Cuauhtémoc is executed on the order of conquistador Hernán Cortés.

The Fourth Council of Constantinople closes.