4 February

Events211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies, leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons, Caracalla and Geta.362 - Roman Emperor Julian promulgates an edict that recognizes equal rights to all the religions in the Roman Empire.1454 - In the Thirteen Years' War, the Secret Council of the Prussian Confederation sends a formal act of disobedience to the Grand Master.1703 - In Edo (now Tokyo), 46 of the Forty-Seven Ronin commit seppuku (ritual suicide) as recompense for avenging their master's death.1783 - American Revolutionary War: The United Kingdom formally declares that it will cease hostilities with the United States of America. 1789 - George Washington is unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.1792 - George Washington is unanimously elected to a second term as President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.1794 - The French legislature abolishes slavery throughout all territories of the French Republic.1801 - John Marshall is sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States.1810 - British Navy seizes Guadeloupe.1825 - The Ohio Legislature authorizes the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal and the Miami and Erie Canal.1859 - Codex Sinaiticus discovered in Egypt.1861 - American Civil War: In Montgomery, Alabama, Delegates from six break-away U.S. states meet and form The Confederate States of America. 1899 - The Philippine-American War begins.1915 - Germany establishes a submarine blockade around the UK and declares any vessel in it a legitimate target. 1932 - World War II: Japan occupies Harbin, China.1936 - Radium E. becomes the first radioactive element to be made synthetically. 1941 - World War II: The United Service Organization (USO) is created to entertain American troops. 1943 - World War II: Battle of Stalingrad ends.1945 - World War II: The Yalta Conference begin . 1948 - Ceylon (later renamed Sri Lanka) becomes independent within the British Commonwealth.1957 - USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, logs her 60,000th nautical mile, matching the endurance of the fictional Nautilus described in Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".1966 - All Nippon Airways Boeing 727 jet plunges into Tokyo Bay, killing 133.1969 - Yasser Arafat takes over as chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization.1974 - The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnaps Patty Hearst in Berkeley, California. 1976 - In Guatemala and Honduras an earthquake kills more than 22,000.1980 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini names Abolhassan Banisadr as president of Iran.1991 - The Baseball Hall of Fame votes to ban Pete Rose.1992 - A Coup d'état is led by Hugo Chávez Frías, against Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Pérez.1996 - Major snowstorm paralyzes Midwestern United States, Milwaukee, Wisconsin ties all-time record low temperature at -26°F (-22°C).1997 - En route to Lebanon, two Israeli Sikorsky CH-53 troop-transport helicopters collide in mid-air over northern Galilee, Israel killing 73. 1997 - After at first contesting the results, Serbian President Slobodan Milošević recognizes opposition victories in the November 1996 elections. 1998 - An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale in northeast Afghanistan kills more than 5,000.1998 - While in Belgium, Bill Gates is assaulted by a Belgian man and hit in the face with a cream pie. 1999 - Hugo Chávez Frías, Venezuelan military and politician, is elected President of Venezuela.1999 - Unarmed West African immigrant Amadou Diallo is shot dead by four plainclothes New York City police officers on an unrelated stake-out, inflaming race-relations in the city.1999 - The New Carissa runs aground near Coos Bay, Oregon2000 - German extortionist Klaus-Peter Sabotta is jailed for life for attempted murder and extortion in connection with the sabotage of German railway lines.2003 - The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is officially renamed to Serbia and Montenegro and adopts a new constitution.2006 - A stampede occurs in the ULTRA Stadium near Manila killing 88..
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