What are the important events that happened on January 4? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
January 4: Facts & Myths About This Day
January 4 is the 4th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 362 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Thursday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is December 22, 2023 – a Thursday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 28,405,440 minutes has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘tetragon’ day.
Capricorn is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Garnet is the modern birthstone for this month. Emerald is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 37 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,031 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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January 4 Historical Events
1490 –
Anne of Brittany announces that all those who would ally with the king of France will be considered guilty of the crime of Lese-majesty.
1717 –
The Netherlands, Great Britain, and France sign the Triple Alliance.
1847 –
Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government.
1854 –
The McDonald Islands are discovered by Captain William McDonald aboard the Samarang.
1865 –
The New York Stock Exchange opens its first permanent headquarters at 10-12 Broad near Wall Street in New York, New York.
1903 –
Topsy, an elephant, is electrocuted by Thomas Edison during the War of Currents campaign.
1944 –
World War II: Operation Carpetbagger, involving the dropping of arms and supplies to resistance fighters in Europe, begins.
1958 –
Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit.
1974 –
United States President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over materials subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.
1998 –
Wilaya of Relizane massacres in Algeria: over 170 are killed in three remote villages.
Who were born on January 4?
1813 –
Isaac Pitman, English inventor (d. 1897)
1848 –
Katsura Taro, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1913)
1896 –
André Masson, French artist (d. 1987)
1916 –
Lionel Newman, American film music composer (d. 1989)
1943 –
Hwang Sok-yong, Korean writer
1953 –
James Warren, American journalist
1962 –
André Rouvoet, Dutch politician
1974 –
Armin Zöggeler, Italian luger
1982 –
Lucie Škrobáková, Czech athlete
1990 –
Iago Falqué Silva, Spanish footballer
Who died on January 4?
1752 –
Gabriel Cramer, Swiss mathematician (b. 1704)
1761 –
Stephen Hales, English physiologist (b. 1677)
1903 –
Gulstan Ropert, Roman Catholic prelate (b. 1839)
1967 –
Donald Campbell, English motorboat racer (b. 1921)
1988 –
Lily Laskine, French harpist (b. 1893)
1997 –
Harry Helmsley, American real estate mogul (b. 1909)
2003 –
Conrad Hall, American cinematographer (b. 1927)
2006 –
Irving Layton, Romanian born Canadian poet (b. 1912)
2006 –
John Hahn-Petersen, Danish actor (b. 1930)
2008 –
Xavier Chamorro Cardenal, Nicaraguan print editor (b. 1932)
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