On This Day in History

April 02

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​Historical Events​

​1513 Explorer Juan Ponce de León claims Florida for Spain as the first known European to reach it

​1792 The Coinage Act is passed, establishing the United States Mint and authorizing the $10 Eagle, $5 Half-Eagle, $2.50 Quarter-Eagle gold coins, and the silver dollar, half dollar, quarter, dime, and half-dime

Nelson’s line anchored and in action against the Danish line, which lies between him and Copenhagen

​1801 Battle of Copenhagen: British naval forces led by Horatio Nelson destroy the Danish fleet during the Napoleonic Wars​

​1917 US President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to declare war against Germany

​1930 Ras Tafari Makonnen is proclaimed Emperor Haile Selassie of Abyssinia (Ethiopia)

​1982 Several thousand Argentine troops invade and seize the Falkland Islands from the United Kingdom

More Historical Events

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​Famous Birthdays​

​Cornelis de Houtman​ ​1565 - 1599

​Giacomo Casanova​ ​1725 - 1798

​Walter Chrysler​ ​1875 - 1940

​Marvin Gaye​ ​1939 - 1984

Also Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and Ajay Devgan (56)

More Famous Birthdays

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​Famous Deaths​

​Comte de Mirabeau​ ​1749 - 1791

​Samuel Morse​ ​1791 - 1872

More Famous Deaths

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​Flash! Bang! It's the Human Cannonball!​

An excited crowd looked up in astonishment and wonder when, in 1877, the first human cannonball flew above their heads.

First Human Cannonball