1. On February 7, 1962, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt passed away in New York City. Roosevelt was a prominent figure in California history, as she frequently visited the state and advocated for a number of political and social causes. She also played a key role in the establishment of the United Nations, which has its headquarters in New York.

2. In 1856, a group of settlers in southern California launched a retaliatory campaign against the local Kumeyaay Native American tribe, burning down their homes and killing dozens of tribe members. This event, known as the "Garra Revolt," represents a dark moment in California's history of violent conflict between settlers and indigenous peoples.

3. On February 7, 1987, the rock band Guns N' Roses performed a concert at the Cow Palace in Daly City, near San Francisco. The show was part of the band's massive "Appetite for Destruction" tour, which helped solidify their status as one of the biggest acts in the world of hard rock and heavy metal.

4. In 1914, construction began on the Panama Canal, a massive engineering feat that would allow ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without having to circumnavigate the entire South American continent. The canal's completion in 1914 had a major impact on California's economy, as it made international trade much faster and more efficient.

5. On February 7, 2006, the California State Senate passed a historic bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. The bill, known as AB 849, was ultimately vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, but it marked a significant moment in the struggle for LGBT rights and equality in California and beyond.