Historical Events on April 4

  • 1796: The first formal paleontology lecture is given by Georges Cuvier.
  • 1812: A 90-day embargo on products from the U.K is imposed by United States President James Madison.
  • 1814: Napoleon gives up the throne and names Napoleon II – his son – as Emperor of the French.
  • 1818: The U.S Flag with thirteen red & white stripes and one star representing each state, is adopted by the U.S Congress.
  • 1841:S President William Henry Harrison becomes the first United States President to die in office after he succumbs to pneumonia. His administration also set the record for the briefest U.S Presidential Administration.
  • 1841: After President William Henry Harrison dies in office, U.S Vice President John Tyler becomes President of the United States.
  • 1850: Large portion of the village of Cottenham in England burns down. Circumstances surrounding the fire are very suspicious.
  • 1850: Los Angeles, California is incorporated as a U.S city.
  • 1859: The song “I Wish I Was in Dixie” is debuted in New York at the finale of a Bryant’s Minstrels show. Bryant’s Minstrels was a blackface minstrel troupe.
  • 1865: A day after the city of Richmond in Virginia – the Confederate capital – is captured, United States President Abraham Lincoln visits it during the American Civil War.
  • 1925: In Germany, the Schutzstaffel (SS) is established.
  • 1933: Severe weather wrecks the USS Akron off the coast of New Jersey.
  • 1944: Three thousand civilians are killed when British and American forces begin the first bombing runs against oil refineries in Bucharest.
  • 1945: A Nazi forced labor camp in Germany known as Ohrdruf is liberated by American forces.
  • 1945: Kassel is captured by American forces.
  • 1945: Hungary is liberated from German occupation by Soviet forces. Soviet forces then begin their own occupation of the country.

Famous Birthdays on April 4

  • American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, Muddy Waters is born in 1913.
  • American actor Richard Coogan is born in 1914.
  • American poet Maya Angelou is born in 1928.
  • American actor Anthony Perkins is born in 1932.
  • American comedian and actor, David Cross is born in 1964.
  • American actor and producer, Robert Downey, Jr. is born in 1965.
  • American magician and performer, David Blaine is born in 1973.
  • American actor Heath Ledger is born in 1979.