What Happened on March 6?

March 6 marks the dramatic final day of the Alamo siege in 1836 — and the 1475 birth of Michelangelo, the sculptor who painted a ceiling and made marble look alive!

• 1836 — The Alamo falls after a 13-day siege

  Before dawn, Mexican troops stormed the Alamo's walls; by sunrise nearly all of the roughly 200 Texas defenders — including Davy Crockett — had fallen, but 'Remember the Alamo!' became a battle cry that won Texas its independence. Read the full story →

• 1857 — Supreme Court issues the Dred Scott decision

  In a 7-2 ruling, the nation's highest court declared that Dred Scott, an enslaved man who had lived on free soil, was not a U.S. citizen — and that Congress could not ban slavery from the territories. Read the full story →

• 1930 — First commercially frozen foods go on sale in Springfield

  Shoppers in Springfield, Massachusetts found something brand-new in store freezers: Clarence Birdseye's quick-frozen peas, spinach, and fruits — the birth of the frozen-food aisle. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) · Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) · Shaquille O'Neal (1972) · Gabriel García Márquez (1927–2014)

Days & observances

National Dress Day