What Happened On This Day – March 4
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2007 The world's first national internet election is held
Estonia was the first country to allow its citizens to vote in a parliamentary election through the world wide web.
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1980 Robert Mugabe becomes Zimbabwe's first black prime minister
A hero of the black struggle against the white minority rule in his country, Mugabe won a landslide victory. More recently, his oppressive style of leadership has been condemned domestically and internationally.
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1977 The Vrancea earthquake claims over 1500 lives
Most of the victims were residents of Romania's capital Bucharest.
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1918 The first documented cases of the Spanish flu herald a deadly worldwide pandemic
The disease quickly spread around the world, causing over 25 million deaths.
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1789 The U.S. Constitution is put into effect
The law is one of the world's oldest constitutions still in use. The oldest is the Constitution of San Marino, which was issued in 1600.
Births On This Day,
March 4
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1968 Graham Westley
English footballer, manager
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1951 Chris Rea
English singer-songwriter, guitarist
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1950 Rick Perry
American politician, 47th Governor of Texas
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1932 Ryszard Kapuściński
Polish journalist
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1678 Antonio Vivaldi
Italian violinist, composer
Deaths On This Day,
March 4
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2008 Gary Gygax
American game designer, writer, co-created Dungeons & Dragons
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1977 Anatol E. Baconsky
Romanian poet, author, critic
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1888 Amos Bronson Alcott
American educator, philosopher
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1852 Nikolai Gogol
Ukrainian/Russian author, playwright
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1811 Mariano Moreno
Argentinian lawyer, journalist, politician