What happened on April 2? There are more than 250 events that were made this day in history. Here are the important historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
Interesting Facts & Myths About April 2
April 2 is the 93rd day of the year 2024. There are 273 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Tuesday. This day falls under the 14th week of the year 2024.
On this day in Milbridge, Maine 04658 sunrise occured at 06:07 AM and sunset occured at 07:02 PM (local time).
The zodiac sign of a person born on this day is Aries. The modern birthstone for this month is Diamond while the mystical birthstone is Opal.
According to the Chinese calendar, there are 302 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year (January 29, 2025).
Are you looking for a day of the week calculator? Try it on any date like anniversaries, birthday of someone you know, or any other date that is special to you. You can even try it on historical dates. For example: November 25
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Historical Events For April 2
- 1755Commodore William James captures the pirate fortress of Suvarnadurg on west coast of India.
- 1792The Coinage Act is passed establishing the United States Mint.
- 1800Ludwig van Beethoven leads the premiere of his First Symphony in Vienna.
- 1801Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Copenhagen – The British destroy the Danish fleet.
- 1851Rama IV is crowned King of Thailand.
- 1863Richmond Bread Riot: Food shortages incite hundreds of angry women to riot in Richmond, Virginia and demand that the Confederate government release emergency supplies.
- 1865American Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis and most of his Cabinet flee the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.
- 1865American Civil War: The Siege of Petersburg is broken – Union troops capture the trenches around Petersburg, Virginia, forcing Confederate General Robert E. Lee to retreat.
- 1885Cree warriors attacked the village of Frog Lake, North-West Territories, Canada, killing 9.
- 1900The Congress passes the Foraker Act, giving Puerto Rico limited self-rule.
- 1902“Electric Theatre”, the first full-time movie theater in the United States, opens in Los Angeles, California.
- 1902Dmitry Sipyagin, Minister of Interior of the Russian Empire, is assassinated in the Marie Palace, St Petersburg.
- 1911The Australian Bureau of Statistics conducts the country’s first national census.
- 1917World War I: President Woodrow Wilson asks the U.S. Congress for a declaration of war on Germany.
- 1930After the mysterious death of Empress Zewditu, Haile Selassie is proclaimed emperor of Ethiopia.
- 1945Diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Brazil are established.
- 1956As the World Turns and The Edge of Night premiere on CBS-TV. The two soaps become the first daytime dramas to debut in the 30-minute format.
- 1962The first official Panda crossing is opened outside Waterloo station, London.
- 1972Actor Charlie Chaplin returns to the United States for the first time since being labeled a communist during the Red Scare in the early 1950s.
- 1973Launch of the LexisNexis computerized legal research service.
- 1973The Liberal Movement breaks away from the Liberal and Country League in South Australia.
- 1975Construction of the CN Tower is completed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It reaches 553.33 m in height, becoming the world’s tallest free-standing structure.
- 1975Vietnam War: Thousands of civilian refugees flee from the Quang Ngai Province in front of advancing North Vietnamese troops.
- 1980President Jimmy Carter signs the Crude Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act in an effort to help the U.S. economy rebound.
- 1982Falklands War: Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.
- 1984Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma is launched aboard Soyuz T-11, and becomes the first Indian in space.
- 1989Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev arrives in Havana, Cuba to meet with Fidel Castro in an attempt to mend strained relations.
- 1991Rita Johnston becomes the first female Premier of a Canadian province when she succeeds William Vander Zalm (who had resigned) as Premier of British Columbia.
- 1992In New York, Mafia boss John Gotti is convicted of murder and racketeering and is later sentenced to life in prison.
- 2002Israeli forces surround the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem into which armed Palestinians had retreated. A siege ensues.
- 2004Islamist terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks attempt to bomb the Spanish high-speed train AVE near Madrid. Their attack is thwarted.
- 2006Over 60 tornadoes break out in the United States; hardest hit is in Tennessee with 29 people killed.
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Who Were Born On April 2?
- 742Charlemagne (d. 814)
- 1527Abraham Ortelius, Flemish cartographer and geographer (d. 1598)
- 1545Elisabeth of Valois, third wife of Philip II of Spain (d. 1568)
- 1565Cornelis de Houtman, Dutch explorer (d. 1599)
- 1614Jahanara Begum Sahib, daughter of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal (d. 1681)
- 1618Francesco Maria Grimaldi, Italian mathematician and physicist (d. 1663)
- 1647Maria Sibylla Merian, German botanist (d. 1717)
- 1653Prince George of Denmark, prince consort of Anne of England (d. 1708)
- 1719Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim, German poet (d. 1803)
- 1725Giacomo Casanova, Italian adventurer and writer (d. 1798)
- 1781Bhagwan Swaminarayan, religious leader (d. 1830)
- 1788Francisco Balagtas, Filipino poet (d. 1862)
- 1788Wilhelmine Reichard, first German women balloonist (d. 1848)
- 1798August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben, German poet (d. 1874)
- 1805Hans Christian Andersen, Danish writer (d. 1875)
- 1814Erastus Brigham Bigelow, American inventor (d. 1879)
- 1827William Holman Hunt, English painter (d. 1910)
- 1838Léon Gambetta, French statesman (d. 1882)
- 1840Émile Zola, French novelist and critic (d. 1902)
- 1841Clément Ader, French aviation pioneer (d. 1926)
- 1861Iván Persa, Hungarian Slovene writer and catholic priest (d. 1935)
- 1862Nicholas Murray Butler, president of Columbia University, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1947)
- 1867Eugen Sandow, German bodybuilder and circus performer (d. 1925)
- 1869Hughie Jennings, American baseball player and manager (d. 1928)
- 1875Walter Chrysler, American automobile pioneer (d. 1940)
- 1884Sir John Squire, British poet, writer, and historian (d. 1958)
- 1891Jack Buchanan, Scottish actor, singer, producer and director (d. 1957)
- 1891Max Ernst, German painter (d. 1976)
- 1900Roberto Arlt, Argentine writer (d. 1942)
- 1902Jan Tschichold, German typographer (d. 1974)
- 1903Lionel Chevrier, Canadian politician (d. 1987)
- 1907Luke Appling, American baseball player (d. 1991)
- 1908Buddy Ebsen, American actor and dancer (d. 2003)
- 1910Francisco Cândido Xavier, Most popular Brazilian medium (d. 2002)
- 1910Paul Triquet, Canadian military officer (d. 1980)
- 1912Herbert Mills, American singer (The Mills Brothers) (d. 1989)
- 1914Sir Alec Guinness, English actor (d. 2000)
- 1917Dabbs Greer, American actor (d. 2007)
- 1917Lou Monte, American singer (d. 1989)
- 1920Jack Webb, American actor, director, and producer (d. 1982)
- 1923Clifford Scott Green, American Federal Judge (d. 2007)
- 1923G. Spencer-Brown, English mathematician
- 1923Gloria Henry, American actress
- 1925George MacDonald Fraser, English author (d. 2008)
- 1926Sir Jack Brabham, Australian race car driver
- 1927Ferenc Puskás, Hungarian footballer (d. 2006)
- 1927Kenneth Tynan, English critic and writer (d. 1980)
- 1928Joseph Bernardin, American cardinal (d. 1996)
- 1928Prof David Robinson, Irish horticulturist (d. 2004)
- 1928Serge Gainsbourg, French singer (d. 1991)
- 1930Roddy Maude-Roxby, English actor
- 1932Edward Egan, Cardinal-Archbishop Emeritus of New York
- 1933György Konrád, Hungarian Jewish author, sociologist, essayist
- 1934Brian Glover, British actor and wrestler (d. 1997)
- 1934Carl Kasell, American newscaster
- 1934Paul Joseph Cohen, American mathematician (d. 2007)
- 1937Dick Radatz, American baseball player (d. 2005)
- 1938Booker Little, American jazz trumpeter (d. 1961)
- 1938John Larsson, 17th General of The Salvation Army
- 1939Anthony Lake, American political figure
- 1939Lise Thibault, Lieutenant-governor of Quebec
- 1939Marvin Gaye, American singer (d. 1984)
- 1940Penelope Keith, English actress
- 1941Dr. Demento, American radio personality
- 1942Hiroyuki Sakai, Japanese chef
- 1942Leon Russell, American blues-rock pianist/guitarist
- 1942Roshan Seth, Indian actor
- 1943Caterina Bueno, Italian singer (d. 2007)
- 1945Anne Waldman, American poet
- 1945Don Sutton, American baseball player
- 1945Linda Hunt, American actress
- 1945Reggie Smith, American baseball player
- 1946Judith A. Lanzinger, American jurist, Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio
- 1946Kurt Winter, Canadian guitarist (The Guess Who) (d. 1997)
- 1947Camille Paglia, American feminist writer
- 1947Emmylou Harris, American singer
- 1947Sam Anderson, American actor
- 1948Dimitris Mitropanos, Greek singer
- 1948Joan D. Vinge, American author
- 1949David Robinson, American musician
- 1949Pamela Reed, American actress
- 1949Paul Gambaccini, British television presenter
- 1949Ron Palillo, American actor
- 1951Ayako Okamoto, Japanese golfer
- 1951Moriteru Ueshiba, Japanese martial artist
- 1952Leon Wilkeson, American rock bassist (Lynyrd Skynyrd) (d. 2001)
- 1952Pat Drummond, Australian singer-songwriter
- 1952Thierry Le Luron, French humorist (d. 1986)
- 1953Debralee Scott, American actress (d. 2005)
- 1953Jim Allister, Northern Irish politician
- 1954Donald Petrie, American film director
- 1954Susumu Hirasawa, Japanese electropop musician
- 1955Michael Stone, British terrorist
- 1957Giuliana De Sio, Italian actress
- 1958Larry Drew, American basketball player
- 1958Stefano Bettarello, Italian rugby player
- 1959Badou Zaki, Morrocan footballer and manager
- 1959Juha Kankkunen, Finnish race car driver
- 1959Yves Lavandier, French film director
- 1960Brad Jones, Australian racing driver
- 1960Linford Christie, English athlete
- 1961Christopher Meloni, American actor
- 1961Keren Woodward, English singer (Bananarama)
- 1962Clark Gregg, American actor
- 1962Mark Shulman, American children’s author
- 1962Pierre Carles, French documentarist
- 1963Karl Beattie, English television director and producer
- 1963Mike Gascoyne, British engineer
- 1964Pete Incaviglia, American baseball player
- 1965Rodney King, American victim of police brutality
- 1966Bill Romanowski, American football player
- 1966Garnett Silk, Jamaican singer (d. 1994)
- 1966Teddy Sheringham, English footballer
- 1967Greg Camp, American musician (Smash Mouth)
- 1967Helen Chamberlain, British television presenter
- 1969Ajay Devgan, Indian actor
- 1971Elton, German comedian
- 1971Todd Woodbridge, Australian tennis player
- 1971ZEEBRA, Japanese hip hop artist
- 1972Chico Slimani, Moroccan-British singer
- 1973Roselyn Sánchez, Puerto Rican singer, model and actress
- 1973Tine Wittler, German TV presenter and writer
- 1974Håkan Hellström, Swedish musician
- 1975Adam Rodriguez, American actor
- 1975Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski, German rower
- 1975Randy Livingston, American basketball player
- 1976Andreas Anastasopoulos, Greek shot putter
- 1976Rory Sabbatini, South African golfer
- 1977Aiden Turner, British actor
- 1977Jelena Abbou, Serbian fitness model
- 1977Michael Fassbender, actor
- 1978John Gall, American baseball player
- 1979Jesse Carmichael, American musician (Maroon 5)
- 1979Lindy Booth, Canadian actress
- 1980Adam Fleming, English reporter
- 1980Carlos Salcido, Mexican footballer
- 1980Cristian Lizzori, Italian footballer
- 1980Ricky Hendrick, NASCAR driver and owner (d. 2004)
- 1981Bethany Joy Lenz-Galeotti, American actress
- 1981Michael Clarke, Australian cricketer
- 1982Bianca Chatfield, Australian netballer
- 1982Jack Evans, American professional wrestler
- 1982Jeremy Bloom, American skier and football player
- 1982Leyla Milani, Canadian actress and model
- 1982Marco Amelia, Italian footballer
- 1983Felix Borja, Ecuadorian footballer
- 1983Owen Fussey, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1983Paul Capdeville, Chilean tennis player
- 1983Yung Joc, American rapper
- 1984Ashley Peldon, American actress
- 1984Jérémy Morel, French footballer
- 1984Meryl Cassie, New Zealand actress
- 1984Nóra Barta, Hungarian diver
- 1985Stéphane Lambiel, Swiss figure skater
- 1986Ibrahim Afellay, Dutch footballer
- 1986Lee DeWyze, American singer
- 1990Amy Castle, American actress
- 1990Felipe Chalegre, Brazilian footballer
- 1990Jeffery Johnson, Jr., American rapper
- 1990Miralem Pjanić, Bosnian footballer
- 1993Aaron Kelly, American singer
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Who Died On April 2?
- 1118Baldwin I of Jerusalem, King of Jerusalem (b. c. 1058)
- 1272Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1209)
- 1335Duke Henry of Carinthia (b. c. 1265)
- 1412Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo, Spanish traveler and writer
- 1502Prince Arthur Tudor, son of Henry VII of England (b. 1486)
- 1507Francis of Paola, Italian founder of the Order of the Minims (b. 1416)
- 1640Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, Polish author and prominent Latin poet (b. 1595)
- 1657Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1608)
- 1657Jean-Jacques Olier – French catholic priest, founder of the Society of Saint-Sulpice (b. 1608)
- 1720Joseph Dudley, colonial Governor of Massachusetts (b. 1647)
- 1742James Douglas, Scottish physician and anatomist (b. 1675)
- 1747Johann Jacob Dillenius, German botanist (b. 1684)
- 1754Thomas Carte, English historian (b. 1686)
- 1787Thomas Gage, British general (b. 1719)
- 1791Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, French statesman (b. 1749)
- 1801Thomas Dadford Junior, British canal engineer (b. c. 1761)
- 1803Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet, Scottish politician and judge (b. 1721)
- 1817Johann Heinrich Jung, German author (b. 1740)
- 1827Ludwig Heinrich Bojanus, German physician and naturalist (b. 1776)
- 1845Philip Charles Durham, Royal Navy Admiral (b. 1763)
- 1865General A. P. Hill, American Confederate general (b. 1825)
- 1872Samuel F. B. Morse, American painter and inventor of the telegraph (b. 1791)
- 1891Albert Pike, American Confederate Brigadier General, envoy, author, attorney, and Freemason (b. 1809)
- 1902Esther Morris, suffragist and first female American judge (b. 1814)
- 1914Paul von Heyse, German writer, Nobel laureate (b. 1830)
- 1922Hermann Rorschach, Swiss psychologist (b. 1884)
- 1928Theodore William Richards, American chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1868)
- 1930Empress Zauditu of Ethiopia (b. 1876)
- 1933K. S. Ranjitsinhji, Indian king and Test cricketer (b. 1872)
- 1936Jean Baptiste Eugène Estienne, French general (b. 1860)
- 1953Hugo Sperrle, German field marshal (b. 1885)
- 1958Josei Toda, Japanese second president of the Buddhist association Soka Gakkai (b. 1900)
- 1958Tudor Davies, Welsh operatic tenor (b. 1892)
- 1966C. S. Forester, English author (b. 1899)
- 1972Franz Halder, German general (b. 1884)
- 1972Gil Hodges, American baseball player and manager (b. 1924)
- 1972Toshitsugu Takamatsu, Japanese Martial Arts Grandmaster (b. 1887)
- 1974Georges Pompidou, President of France (b. 1911)
- 1977Walter Wolf, German politician (b. 1907)
- 1987Buddy Rich, American drummer (b. 1917)
- 1992Juan Gómez González, Spanish football player (b. 1954)
- 1992Tomisaburo Wakayama, Japanese actor (b. 1929)
- 1994Betty Furness, American actress (b. 1916)
- 1995Hannes Alfvén, Swedish physicist (b. 1908)
- 1995Harvey Penick, American golf instructor (b. 1904)
- 1998Rob Pilatus, American model and entertainer (Milli Vanilli) (b. 1965)
- 2000Tommaso Buscetta, Sicilian mafioso and pentito (b. 1928)
- 2001Charles Daudelin, Canadian artist (b. 1920)
- 2001Jennifer Syme, American actress (b. 1972)
- 2003Edwin Starr, American singer (b. 1942)
- 2004John Argyris, Greek aeronautical engineer (b. 1913)
- 2005Pope John Paul II (b. 1920)
- 2006Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, German widow of Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (b. 1913)
- 2007Paul Reed, American actor (b. 1909)
- 2010Chris Kanyon, American wrestler (b. 1970)
- 2010Mike Cuellar, Cuban baseball player (b. 1937)
- 2010Thomas J. Moyer, American jurist, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Ohio (b. 1939)
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