On This Day in History

January 4

Historical Events

1847 Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government.

Luna 1 as exhibited in the "Kosmos" pavilion of the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy of the USSR

1959 USSR's Luna 1 (Mechta) becomes the first spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity.

1961 Longest recorded strike ends as the Danish barbers' assistants end a 33 year strike.

2007 The 110th United States Congress convenes and elects Nancy Pelosi as the first female Speaker of the House.

2021 First Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are given to the general public, with 82-year-old Brian Pinker in the UK the first to receive the jab

More Historical Events

Famous Birthdays

Isaac Newton 1643 - 1727  Louis Braille 1809 - 1852

Isaac Pitman 1813 - 1897  Doris Kearns Goodwin 82nd Birthday

Also Jacob Grimm and Floyd Patterson

More Famous Birthdays

Famous Deaths

Elizabeth Ann Seton 1774 - 1821  Erwin Schrödinger 1887 - 1961

More Famous Deaths

Rise and Fall of the Vanderbilt Empire

When he died on this day Cornelius Vanderbilt allegedly possessed more money than the U.S. Treasury. Much of it was squandered in lavish spending by descendants.

The Vanderbilt Empire