Apr


4

In History, Today on April 4

Today we explore events from the year 1581 to the year 2020. Events span the globe, from the countries of England, United States, Pakistan, Angola, Romania, North Korea, Syria, Global.

Year

1581

Deptford, England

Francis Drake is knighted by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind in Deptford, England, after his successful circumnavigation of the globe.

Year

1818

Washington, D.C., United States

The United States Congress adopts the flag of the United States with 13 red and white stripes and 20 stars, with a new star to be added for each new state.

Year

1841

Washington, D.C., United States

William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States, dies of pneumonia, becoming the first U.S. president to die in office, just 31 days after his inauguration.

Year

1949

Washington, D.C., United States

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is established by 12 Western nations as a collective defense pact against potential aggression from the Soviet Union.

Year

1968

Memphis, United States

Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, leading to nationwide riots and a period of mourning.

Year

1975

Albuquerque, United States

Microsoft is founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico, marking the beginning of one of the world's largest technology companies.

Year

1979

Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is executed after being deposed in a military coup led by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

Year

2002

Luanda, Angola

The Angolan government and UNITA rebels signed a peace agreement, ending the Angolan Civil War that had lasted for 27 years.

Year

2006

New York City, United States

The United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on four Sudanese individuals for their role in the Darfur conflict, marking the first time the UN took such action in the conflict.

Year

2008

Bucharest, Romania

NATO leaders invited Albania and Croatia to join the alliance during the Bucharest Summit, marking a significant expansion of the organization.

Year

2009

Pyongyang, North Korea

North Korea launched a long-range rocket, which it claimed was a satellite launch, but was widely condemned as a test of ballistic missile technology.

Year

2013

New York City, United States

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Arms Trade Treaty, regulating the international trade in conventional arms, with the aim of reducing illegal arms trafficking.

Year

2017

Khan Shaykhun, Syria

A chemical attack occurred in Khan Shaykhun, Syria, killing at least 89 people and leading to international condemnation and U.S. missile strikes on a Syrian airbase.

Year

2018

San Bruno, United States

The YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, California, was attacked by a shooter who wounded three people before taking her own life.

Year

2020

Global, Global

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a global milestone as the number of confirmed cases surpassed 1 million worldwide, highlighting the rapid spread of the virus.