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On this day in history - February 4

What Happened On This Day – February 4

  • 2004 Facebook is founded

    The social networking service currently has over 1 billion active users.

  • 1948 Ceylon (Sri Lanka) proclaims independence within the British Commonwealth

    Since the 16th century, the island had been colonized by Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain.

  • 1861 The Confederate States of America are established

    6 slave states met in Montgomery, Alabama to form the Confederacy, which lasted only until 1865.

  • 1859 German archeologist Constantin von Tischendorf discovers the Codex Sinaiticus

    The “Sinai Bible”, a handwritten copy of the Greek Bible, is considered a great historical treasure.

  • 1789 George Washington is elected as first President of the United States

    Washington took office on April 30, 1789.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
February 4

  • 1948 Alice Cooper

    American singer-songwriter, actor

  • 1913 Rosa Parks

    American activist

  • 1906 Dietrich Bonhoeffer

    German pastor, theologian

  • 1902 Charles Lindbergh

    American pilot, activist

  • 1746 Tadeusz Kościuszko

    Polish/American general

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
February 4

  • 2006 Betty Friedan

    American author, activist

  • 2001 Iannis Xenakis

    Greek/French composer, engineer, theorist

  • 1987 Liberace

    American singer, pianist, actor

  • 1987 Meena Keshwar Kamal

    Afghan activist, founded the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanista

  • 1894 Adolphe Sax

    Belgian musician, invented the saxophone