New Amsterdam (Now New York City) is Incorporated
On February 2nd, 1653, New Amsterdam, a Dutch colonial town, was incorporated. The city would later transform into the vibrant metropolis we now know as New York City.
Oliver Cromwell Becomes Lord Protector of England
On this day in 1653, Oliver Cromwell, a key figure in the English Civil War, assumed the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, effectively becoming the head of state.