December 4

"December 4th" redirects here. For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song).

December 4 in recent years

2023 (Monday)

2022 (Sunday)

2021 (Saturday)

2020 (Friday)

2019 (Wednesday)

2018 (Tuesday)

2017 (Monday)

2016 (Sunday)

2015 (Friday)

2014 (Thursday)

December 4 is the 338th day of the year (339th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 27 days remain until the end of the year.

Events

• 306 – Martyrdom of Saint Barbara
• 771 – Austrasian King Carloman dies, leaving his brother Charlemagne King of the now complete Frankish Kingdom.
• 1110 – First Crusade: The Crusaders conquer Sidon.
• 1259 – Kings Louis IX of France and Henry III of England agree to the Treaty of Paris, in which Henry renounces his claims to French-controlled territory on continental Europe (including Normandy) in exchange for Louis withdrawing his support for English rebels.
• 1563 – The final session of the Council of Trent is held (it opened on December 13, 1545).
• 1619 – 38 colonists from Berkeley Parish in England disembark in Virginia and give thanks to God (this is considered by many to be the first Thanksgiving in the Americas).
• 1674 – Father Jacques Marquette founds a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan to minister to the Illiniwek (the mission would later grow into the city of Chicago, Illinois).
• 1676 – Battle of Lund: A Danish army under the command of King Christian V of Denmark engages the Swedish army commanded by Field Marshal Simon Grundel-Helmfelt.
• 1745 – Charles Edward Stewart's army reaches Derby, its furthest point during the second Jacobite rising.
• 1783 – At Fraunces Tavern in New York City, US General George Washington formally bids his officers farewell.
• 1791 – The first edition of The Observer, the world's first Sunday newspaper, is published.
• 1829 – In the face of fierce opposition, British governor Lord William Bentinck issues a regulation declaring that all who abetted suttee in India were guilty of culpable homicide.
• 1864 – American Civil War: Sherman's March to the Sea – At Waynesboro, Georgia, forces under Union General Judson Kilpatrick prevent troops led by Confederate General Joseph Wheeler from interfering with Union General William T. Sherman's campaign destroying a wide swath of the South on his march to the Atlantic Ocean from Atlanta, Georgia. Union forces did suffer more than three times the Confederate casualties, however.
• 1867 – Former Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley founds the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry (better known today as the Grange).
• 1872 – The crewless American ship Mary Celeste is found by the British brig Dei Gratia (the ship had been abandoned for 9 days but was only slightly damaged).
• 1875 – Notorious New York City politician Boss Tweed escapes from prison and flees to Cuba, then Spain.
• 1881 – The first edition of the Los Angeles Times is published.
• 1906 – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity in the United States established for men of African descent, is founded at Cornell University.
• 1909 – 1st Grey Cup game was played. The University of Toronto Varsity Blues defeat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 26–6.
• 1918 – U.S. President Woodrow Wilson sails for the World War I peace talks in Versailles, becoming the first US president to travel to Europe while in office.
• 1921 – The Virginia Rappe manslaughter trial against Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle ends in a hung jury.
• 1942 – Holocaust: In Warsaw, Zofia Kossak-Szczucka and Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz set up the Żegota organization.
• 1942 – World War II: Carlson's patrol during the Guadalcanal Campaign ends.
• 1943 – World War II: In Yugoslavia, resistance leader Marshal Tito proclaims a provisional democratic Yugoslav government in-exile.
• 1943 – World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt closes down the Works Progress Administration, because of the high levels of wartime employment in the United States.
• 1945 – By a vote of 65 to 7, the United States Senate approves United States participation in the United Nations (the UN was established on October 24, 1945).
• 1952 – Great Smog of 1952: A cold fog descends upon London, combining with air pollution and killing at least 12,000 in the weeks and months that follow.
• 1954 – The first Burger King is opened in Miami, Florida, United States
• 1958 – Dahomey (present-day Benin) becomes a self-governing country within the French Community.
• 1967 – Vietnam War: US and South Vietnamese forces engage Viet Cong troops in the Mekong Delta.
• 1969 – Black Panther Party members Fred Hampton and Mark Clark are shot and killed in their sleep during a raid by 14 Chicago police officers.
• 1971 – The UN Security Council calls an emergency session to consider the deteriorating situation between India and Pakistan.
• 1971 – The Indian Navy attacks the Pakistan Navy and Karachi.
• 1971 – The Montreux Casino in Switzerland is set ablaze by someone wielding a flare gun during a Frank Zappa concert; the incident would be noted in the Deep Purple song "Smoke on the Water".
• 1971 – McGurk's Bar bombing: An Ulster Volunteer Force bomb kills fifteen civilians and wounds seventeen in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• 1975 – Suriname joins the United Nations.
• 1977 – Jean-Bédel Bokassa, president of the Central African Republic, crowns himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire.
• 1977 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 653 is hijacked and crashes in Tanjong Kupang, Johor, killing 100.
• 1978 – Following the murder of Mayor George Moscone, Dianne Feinstein becomes San Francisco, California's first female mayor (she served until January 8, 1988).
• 1979 – The Hastie fire in Hull, kills three schoolboys and eventually leads police to arrest Bruce George Peter Lee.
• 1980 – English rock group Led Zeppelin officially disbands, following the death of drummer John Bonham on September 25th.
• 1981 – South Africa grants independence to the Ciskei "homeland" (not recognized by any government outside South Africa).
• 1982 – The People's Republic of China adopts its current constitution.
• 1984 – Hezbollah militants hijack a Kuwait Airlines plane, killing four passengers.
• 1991 – Journalist Terry A. Anderson is released after 7 years in captivity as a hostage in Beirut. He was the last and longest-held American hostage in Lebanon.
• 1991 – Captain Mark Pyle pilots Clipper Goodwill, a Pan American World Airways Boeing 727-221ADV, to Miami International Airport ending 64 years of Pan Am operations.
• 1992 – Somali Civil War: President George H. W. Bush orders 28,000 US troops to Somalia in Northeast Africa.
• 1993 – A truce is concluded between the government of Angola and UNITA rebels.
• 1998 – The Unity Module, the second module of the International Space Station, is launched.
• 2000 – The Bus Rapid System Transmilenio is inaugurated in Bogota.
• 2005 – Tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong protest for democracy and call on the Government to allow universal and equal suffrage.
• 2006 – An adult giant squid is caught on video by Kubodera near the Ogasawara Islands, 1,000 km (620 miles) south of Tokyo.
• 2008 – The Governor General of Canada prorogues parliament as a result of a parliamentary dispute.
• 2009 – Scottish Tossbag is made redundant

Births

• 1555 – Heinrich Meibom, German historian and poet (d. 1625)
• 1580 – Samuel Argall, English adventurer and naval officer (d. 1626)
• 1585 – John Cotton, American Puritan leader (d. 1652)
• 1595 – Jean Chapelain, French writer (d. 1674)
• 1646 – Alain Emmanuel de Coëtlogon, Marshal of France (d. 1730)
• 1660 – André Campra, French composer (d. 1744)
• 1670 – John Aislabie, English politician (d. 1742)
• 1711 – Barbara of Portugal, queen of Spain (d. 1758)
• 1713 – Gasparo Gozzi, Italian critic and dramatist (d. 1786)
• 1777 – Juliette Récamier, French socialite (d. 1849)
• 1795 – Thomas Carlyle, Scottish writer and historian (d. 1881)
• 1798 – Jules Armand Dufaure, French statesman (d. 1881)
• 1835 – Samuel Butler, English writer (d. 1902)
• 1844 – Franz Xavier Wernz, German Superior General of the Society of Jesus (d. 1914)
• 1852 – Orest Khvolson, Russian physicist (d. 1934)
• 1861 – Lillian Russell, American singer and actress (d. 1922)
• 1861 – Hannes Hafstein, 1st Prime Minister of Iceland (d. 1922)
• 1868 – Jesse Burkett, American baseball player (d. 1953)
• 1875 – Joe Corbett, American baseball player (d. 1945)
• 1875 – Rainer Maria Rilke, Austrian poet (d. 1926)
• 1881 – Erwin von Witzleben, German field marshal (d. 1944)
• 1883 – Katharine Susannah Prichard, Australian author (d. 1969)
• 1889 – Lloyd Bacon, American actor and film director (d. 1955)
• 1892 – Francisco Franco, dictator of Spain (d. 1975)
• 1895 – Fung Yu-lan, Chinese philosopher (d. 1990)
• 1899 – Charles William (Charlie) Spencer Newcastle and England football player (d. 1953)
• 1903 – Cornell Woolrich, American writer (d. 1968)
• 1908 – Alfred Hershey, American bacteriologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1997)
• 1909 – Jimmy Jewel, English actor (d. 1995)
• 1910 – Alex North, American film music composer (d. 1991)
• 1910 – R. Venkataraman, 8th President of India (d. 2009)
• 1912 – Pappy Boyington, American pilot (d. 1988)
• 1913 – Mark Robson, Canadian-born film director and producer (d. 1978)
• 1914 – Rudolf Hausner, Austrian artist (d. 1995)
• 1914 – Claude Renoir, French cinematographer (d. 1993)
• 1915 – Eddie Heywood, American jazz musician (d. 1989)
• 1916 – Ely Jacques Kahn, Jr., American writer (d. 1994)
• 1918 – Albert Francis Capone, Son of Al Capone (d. 2004)
• 1921 – Deanna Durbin, Canadian actress
• 1922 – Gérard Philipe, French actor (d. 1959)
• 1923 – Charles Keating, American attorney and businessman
• 1924 – John Portman, American architect
• 1925 – Lino Lacedelli, Italian mountaineer who made the first ascent of K2
• 1928 – Dena Dietrich, American actress
• 1930 – Ronnie Corbett, Scottish actor
• 1930 – Jim Hall, American jazz guitarist
• 1931 – Alex Delvecchio, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1931 – Wally George, American TV commentator (d. 2003)
• 1932 – Roh Tae-woo, President of South Korea
• 1933 – Horst Buchholz, German-born actor (d. 2003)
• 1934 – Victor French, American actor (d. 1989)
• 1934 – Wink Martindale, American game show host
• 1935 – Paul O'Neill, American businessman and former Secretary of the Treasury
• 1935 – Robert Vesco, American financier and fugitive (d. 2007)
• 1936 – Derek Nally, Irish Politician
• 1937 – Max Baer, Jr., American actor
• 1938 – Andre Marrou, American politician, presidential candidate
• 1938 – Yvonne Minton, Australian soprano
• 1939 – Freddy Cannon, American musician
• 1940 – Gary Gilmore, American murderer (d. 1977)
• 1942 – Gemma Jones, English actress
• 1944 – Chris Hillman, American singer (The Byrds)
• 1944 – Anna McGarrigle, Canadian folk music singer and songwriter
• 1944 – François Migault, French racing driver
• 1944 – Dennis Wilson, American musician (The Beach Boys) (d. 1983)
• 1945 – Roberta Bondar, Canadian astronaut
• 1947 – Terry Woods, Irish musician (The Pogues, Steeleye Span)
• 1948 – Southside Johnny, American singer
• 1949 – Jeff Bridges, American actor
• 1949 – Pamela Stephenson, New Zealand-born actress
• 1951 – Gary Rossington, American musician (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
• 1951 – Patricia Wettig, American actress
• 1953 – Rick Middleton, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1954 – Tony Todd, American actor and producer
• 1955 – Dave Taylor, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1956 – Bernard King, American basketball player
• 1957 – Raul Boesel, Brazilian racing driver
• 1957 – Eric S. Raymond, American open source advocate
• 1959 – Susan W Krebs, American politician
• 1959 – Paul McGrath, Irish footballer
• 1959 – Christa Rothenburger, German speed skater and cyclist
• 1960 – David Green, American baseball player
• 1960 – Glynis Nunn, Australian athlete
• 1961 – Frank Reich, American football player
• 1961 – Naomi Robson, American-born Australian journalist
• 1962 – Kevin Richardson, English footballest
• 1963 – Sergey Bubka, Ukrainian pole vaulter
• 1964 – Sertab Erener, Turkish singer
• 1964 – Jonathan Goldstein, American actor
• 1964 – Scott Hastings, Scottish Rugby Union international
• 1964 – Chelsea Noble, American actress
• 1964 – Marisa Tomei, American actress
• 1965 – Álex de la Iglesia, Spanish film director
• 1966 – Fred Armisen, American actor and musician
• 1966 – Masta Ace, American rapper
• 1966 – Suzanne Malveaux, American television news reporter
• 1966 – Chris Shepherd, English film director
• 1969 – Jay-Z, American rapper
• 1970 – Kevin Sussman, American actor
• 1970 – John L. Adams, American actor
• 1970 – Sylvester Terkay, American wrestler
• 1971 – Shannon Briggs, American boxer
• 1972 – Jassen Cullimore, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1972 – Nikki Tyler, American actress
• 1973 – Racci Shay, American Musician
• 1973 – Tyra Banks, American supermodel
• 1973 – Frank Boeijen, Dutch musician (The Gathering)
• 1973 – Ferry Corsten, Dutch musician and DJ
• 1973 – Steven Menzies, Australian rugby league footballer
• 1973 – Kate Rusby, English folk singer
• 1973 – Atsushi Tamura, Japanese comedian, musician (jealkb)
• 1974 – Tadahito Iguchi, Japanese baseball player
• 1976 – Amie Comeaux, American singer (d. 1997)
• 1976 – Ysabella Brave, American singer
• 1976 – Kristina Groves, Canadian speed skater
• 1977 – Big Pokey, American rapper
• 1978 – Michele Di Piedi, Italian footballer
• 1978 – Jaclyn Victor, Malaysian singer
• 1979 – Jay DeMerit, American soccer player
• 1979 – Jeff Taylor, Canadian computer scientist
• 1981 – Courtney Cummz, American pornographic actress
• 1982 – Ho-Pin Tung, Dutch-Chinese racing driver
• 1983 – Jimmy Bartel, Australian rules footballer
• 1984 – Brooke Adams, American model
• 1984 – Lindsay Felton, American actress
• 1984 – Lauren London, American actress
• 1985 – Andrew Brackman, American baseball player
• 1985 – Carlos Gómez, Dominican baseball player
• 1986 – Martell Webster, American basketball player

Deaths

• 749 – Saint John of Damascus
• 765 – Jafar Sadiq, Shia Imam (b. 702)
• 771 – Carloman, King of the Franks (b. 751)
• 1075 – Archbishop Anno II of Cologne
• 1123 – Omar Khayyám, Persian poet, astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher (b. 1048)
• 1214 – William I of Scotland
• 1270 – Theobald V of Champagne, King of Navarre
• 1334 – Pope John XXII (b. 1249)
• 1340 – Henry Burghersh, English bishop and chancellor (b. 1292)
• 1459 – Adolf VIII, Duke of Southern Jutland (b. 1401)
• 1576 – Rheticus, Austrian mathematician (b. 1514)
• 1585 – John Willock, Scottish reformer
• 1609 – Alexander Hume, Scottish poet
• 1642 – Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu, French statesman (b. 1585)
• 1649 – William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (b. 1585)
• 1679 – Thomas Hobbes, English philosopher (b. 1588)
• 1680 – Thomas Bartholin, Danish physician, mathematician, and theologian (b. 1616)
• 1696 – Empress Meishō, Japan (b. 1624)
• 1732 – John Gay, English poet and dramatist (b. 1685)
• 1798 – Luigi Galvani, Italian physicist (b. 1737)
• 1828 – Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1770)
• 1841 – David Daniel Davis, British politician (b. 1777)
• 1850 – William Sturgeon, English physicist and inventor (b. 1783)
• 1893 – John Tyndall, Irish physicist (b. 1820)
• 1897 – Griffith Rhys Jones, a.k.a "Caradog", Welsh conductor of the famous 'Côr Mawr' of some 460 voices (b. 1834)
• 1902 – Charles Dow, American journalist (Dow Jones & Company – Wall Street Journal) (b. 1851)
• 1926 – Ivana Kobilca, Slovenian-born painter (b. 1861)
• 1933 – Stefan George, German poet (b. 1868)
• 1935 – Johan Halvorsen, Norwegian composer (b. 1864)
• 1935 – Charles Richet, French physiologist, Nobel laureate (b. 1850)
• 1944 – Roger Bresnahan, American baseball player (b. 1879)
• 1945 – Thomas Hunt Morgan, American geneticist, Nobel laureate (b. 1866)
• 1948 – Frank Benford, American electrical engineer and physicist (b. 1883)
• 1955 – József Galamb, Hungarian mechanical engineer (b. 1881)
• 1956 – Alexandr Rodchenko, Russian painter and photographer (b. 1891)
• 1967 – Bert Lahr, American actor (b. 1895)
• 1969 – Fred Hampton, American activist (b. 1948)
• 1975 – Hannah Arendt, German political theorist (b. 1906)
• 1976 – Tommy Bolin, American guitarist (b. 1951)
• 1976 – Benjamin Britten, English composer (b. 1913)
• 1976 – W. F. McCoy, Northern Irish politician (b. 1886)
• 1980 – Francisco Sá Carneiro, Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1934)
• 1980 – Stanisława Walasiewicz (Stella Walsh), Polish-born athlete (b. 1911)
• 1987 – Rouben Mamoulian, Armenian-American film director (b. 1897)
• 1988 – Osman Achmatowicz, Polish chemist (b. 1899)
• 1993 – Frank Zappa, American musician and composer (b. 1940)
• 1995 – Lionel Giroux (Little Beaver), Canadian midget wrestler (b. 1935)
• 1997 – Richard Vernon, English actor (b. 1925)
• 1999 – Rose Bird, American judge (b. 1936)
• 2003 – Iggy Katona, American race car driver (b. 1916)
• 2004 – Elena Souliotis, Greek soprano (b. 1943)
• 2005 – Errol Brathwaite, New Zealand author (b. 1924)
• 2005 – Gregg Hoffman, American film producer (b. 1963)
• 2005 – Gloria Lasso, French-Spanish singer (b. 1922)
• 2006 – James Kim, American television personality (b. 1971)
• 2006 – Ross A. McGinnis, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1987)
• 2007 – Norval Morrisseau, Canadian artist (b. 1932)
• 2007 – Chip Reese, American professional poker player (b. 1951)
• 2007 – Pimp C, American Rapper (b. 1973)

Holidays and observances

• Roman festivals – secret ceremonies in honor of Bona Dea
• Calendar of Saints – Saint John of Damascus: optional memorial; also the Great Martyr Saint Barbara; St. Ada (feast day); St. Bernard degli Uberti; St. Sigiramnus
• Eid il-Burbara – a holiday very similar to Halloween in honor of Saint Barbara in Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine.
• Barbórka – Miners' Day in Poland
• First day that rain is prayed for in the Diaspora in Judaism. It is notably the only Jewish day which is tied to the civil calendar.
• Santería, Lukumí – Day of Shango
• Navy Day in India

External links

• BBC: On This Day
• The New York Times: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada

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