February 16 seems to be quite a day for Lithuania. On this day in 1270 they successfully routed the Teutonic Order, a Catholic military order which was trying to convert the indigenous people of present-day Latvia and Estonia.

The Battle of Karuse was fought entirely on the frozen Baltic Sea and the Lithuanians won their decisive battle by barricading themselves behind their sleighs.

On this same day in 1918 the Council of Lithuania adopted the Act of Independence, declaring Lithuania independent from the German Empire. Germany stayed in power, however, until the end of World War I.

Lithuania had to fight three Revolutionary Wars from three separate powers, the Bolsheviks, the Bermontians, or the remains of the German forces, and Poland.

Unfortunately during the Second World War Lithuania was occupied by the then Soviet Union. In 1990 Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to declare itself independent, restoring once more the independent State of Lithuania.