January 4 January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 361 days remaining (362 in leap years). Events 871 - Battle of Reading - Ethelred of Wessex defeats Danish invasion army . 1493 - Christopher Columbus leaves the New World, ending his first journey . 1642 - English Civil War: King Charles I of England attacks Parliament . 1717 - The Netherlands, England and France sign the Triple Alliance. 1762 - England declares war on Spain and Naples . 1847 - Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government. 1850 - The first American ice-skating club is formed (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). 1884 - The Fabian Society is founded in London 1885 - The first successful appendectomy is performed (Dr. William Grant; patient was Mary Gartside). 1896 - Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. 1936 - Billboard magazine publishes its first pop music charts. 1944 - World War II: The Battle of Monte Cassino begins. 1948 - Burma gains its independence from the United Kingdom. 1951 - Korean War: Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul. 1957 - After 69 years the last issue of Colliers magazine is published. 1958 - Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4, 1957). 1962 - New York City introduces a train that operates without a crew on-board. 1965 - United States President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaims his "Great Society" during his State of the Union address. 1967 - Donald Campbell dies as his jet-powered Bluebird K7 crashes during an attempt to break the water speed record. 1972 - Rose Heilbron becomes the first woman judge in the United Kingdom (Old Bailey, London). 1974 - United States President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over materials subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee. 1987 - An Amtrak train en route to Boston from Washington, DC collides with Conrail engines killing 16. 1999 - Gunmen open fire on Shiite Muslims worshipping in an Islamabad mosque killing 16 people injuring 25. 2004 - Dr. Mikhail Saakashvili won Presidential Elections in the Republic of Georgia. Births 1643 (Old Style) - Isaac Newton, British alchemist, mathematician, astronomer, scientist and philosopher (d. 1727) 1710 - Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Italian composer (d. 1736) 1720 - Johann Friedrich Agricola, German composer (d. 1774) 1785 - Jakob Grimm, German philologist, one half of the Brothers Grimm (d. 1863) 1804 - Charlotte Ramsey Lennox, English author and poet (b. 1727) 1809 - Louis Braille, French teacher, inventor of a writing system for the blind (d. 1852) 1822 - Georg Büchmann, philologist (d. 1884) 1838 - Charles Stratton ("General Tom Thumb"), American circus performer, entertainer (d. 1883) 1874 - Josef Suk, Czech composer and violinist (d. 1935) 1881 - Wilhelm Lehmbruck, German sculptor (d. 1919) 1883 - Max Eastman, American writer (d. 1969) 1896 - Everett Dirksen, American politician (d. 1969) 1896 - André Masson, French artist (d. 1987) 1914 - Jane Wyman, American actress 1930 - Don Shula, American football coach 1931 - Adi Lady Lala Mara, Fijian chieftainess and former First Lady; widow of long-time former Prime Minister and President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. 1932 - Carlos Saura, director 1935 - Floyd Patterson, boxing champion 1937 - Dyan Cannon, actress 1941 - Garrison Hearst, All-Pro NFL RB 1943 - Doris Kearns Goodwin, writer 1956 - Bernard Sumner, guitar and keyboards for Joy Division, lead vocals and guitar for New Order, and Electronic 1960 - Michael Stipe, vocalist for R.E.M. 1963 - Till Lindemann, vocalist for Rammstein Deaths 1248 - King Sancho II of Portugal (b. 1207) 1804 - Charlotte Lennox, English author and poet 1821 - Elizabeth Ann Seton, American saint (b. 1774) 1831 - James Monroe, President of the United States (b. 1758) 1877 - Cornelius Vanderbilt, entrepreneur (b. 1794) 1896 - Joseph Hubert Reinkens, German Old Catholic bishop (b. 1821) 1941 - Henri Bergson, French writer (b. 1859) 1960 - Albert Camus, Algerian-born French philosopher and writer (car crash) (b. 1913) 1961 - Erwin Schrödinger, physicist (b. 1887) 1965 - T. S. Eliot, American poet (b. 1888) 1967 - Donald Campbell, water speed record setter (b. 1921) 1969 - Violet and Daisy Hilton, conjoined twins, actresses 1986 - Christopher Isherwood, English writer (b. 1904) 1998 - Mae Questel, American actress (b. 1908) 1999 - Iron Eyes Cody, actor (b. 1904) 2000 - Tom Fears, American football star 2002 - Esquivel, musician (b. 1918) 2003 - Conrad Hall, American cinematographer (b. 1927) Holidays and observances Feast day of St Elizabeth Ann Seton The eleventh day of Christmas in Western Christianity   ast:4 de xineru Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. 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