March 4
March 4 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 302 days remain until the year's end. It falls in winter (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Pisces.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On March 4 the Sun's declination is approximately -6.8°. At this latitude the Sun is south of the celestial equator, giving the Northern Hemisphere shorter days than nights.
For specific rise/set times at your location, see the U.S. Naval Observatory, or the NASA APOD archive for any imagery published on a March 4.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
No widely-observed holidays catalogued for this day in our base set. See the external almanacs above for region-specific observances.
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1681 — King Charles II of England granted a charter to William Penn for the area that would become Pennsylvania. ↗(345 years ago)more
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British colony situated on the Mid-Atlantic seaboard of North America. The colony was founded for religious thinker William Penn, who received the land through a 1681 grant from Charles II of England.
1789 — The first Congress of the United States convened in New York City; the U.S. Constitution went into effect. ↗(237 years ago)more
The 1st United States Congress, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, met from March 4, 1789, to March 4, 1791, during the first two years of George Washington's presidency, first at Federal Hall in New York City and later at Congress Hall in Philadelphia.
1933 — Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd U.S. President, declaring "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". ↗(93 years ago)more
The first inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd president of the United States was held on Saturday, March 4, 1933, at the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This was the 37th inauguration, and marked the commencement of the first term of Franklin D. Roosevelt as president and John Nance Garner as vice president.
1933 — Frances Perkins became the first female U.S. Cabinet member, as Secretary of Labor. ↗(93 years ago)more
Frances Perkins was an American workers-rights advocate who served as the fourth United States secretary of labor from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving in that position. A member of the Democratic Party, Perkins was the first woman ever to serve in a presidential cabinet. As a loyal supporter of her longtime friend, President Franklin D.
1966 — John Lennon told the London Evening Standard that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus now". ↗(60 years ago)more
"More popular than Jesus" is a phrase taken from a 1966 interview in which John Lennon of the Beatles claimed that the public's infatuation with the band surpassed that of Jesus Christ, and that Christian faith was declining to the point where it might be outlasted by rock music.
Notable births
1678 — Antonio Vivaldi, Italian composer. ↗(348 years ago)more
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe, giving origin to many imitators and admirers. He pioneered many developments in orchestration, violin technique and programmatic music.
1888 — Knute Rockne, American football coach. ↗(138 years ago)more
Knute Kenneth Rockne was a Norwegian-American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. Leading Notre Dame for 13 seasons, Rockne accumulated over 100 wins and three national championships.
Notable deaths
1852 — Nikolai Gogol, Russian writer. ↗(174 years ago)more
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol was a Russian novelist, short-story writer, and playwright of Ukrainian origin.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (64) | 2^6 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (302) | 2 × 151 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 04032026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | -6.76° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 75 days |