As Shakespeare says, “There is a history in all men’s lives.” But not every incident makes it to the pages of history books. Over the century, people have discovered, invented, and established things that have changed the lives of all the coming generations. So, here are the milestones that we achieved on February 4, over the years.
source- pinterest.es
1794: French National Convention proclaims the abolition of slavery
A parliament of the French Revolution, the National Convention, sat as a single-chamber assembly from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795. However, on February 4, 1794, the National Convention abolished the Negro Slavery. To persuade the National Convention, three deputies from Saint Domingue traveled to France. However, in 1801, Napoleon attempted to bring back slavery. Therefore, France’s state of being the first to abolish slavery, removed.
1824: J W Goodrich introduces rubber galoshes to public
Natural rubber comes from the milky secretion of various tress called latex. But now, the commercial rubber comes from the labs, made synthetically by mixing various chemicals. In the year 1803, the world’s first rubber factory established near Paris, and in 1820 in England. Charles Macintosh invented a practical process to waterproof fabrics. Whereas, Charles Goodyear discovered the process of vulcanization, which transformed the rubber industry. He licensed the process to the industrialist and businessman, Leverett Candee. Therefore, by February 4, 1824, J.W. Goodrich introduced rubber galoshes to the public.
source- historicbridges.com
1895: First rolling lift bridge opens in Chicago
The lifting bridge, also known as a bascule bridge or drawbridge, is a type of moveable bridge. It balances a span, or leaf, as it swings open upwards to provide clearance for boat traffic. It can be single or double leafed. However, an American engineer, William Donald Scherzer, invented this type of bridge. These bridges open quickly and they need quite less energy to operate. Therefore, the Van Buren Street bridge, built over the Chicago River, became the first rolling lift bridge. It opened for traffic on February 4, 1895.
1920: First flight from London to South Africa departs
Lt. Col Pierre van Ryneveld and Lt. Col Christopher Joseph Qunitin Brand, two South African pilots set out for the Cape in a Vickers Vimy named the Silver Queen. The first flight took off from London on February 4, 1920, for Cape Town. Due to crash landings in the Sudan and Bulawayo, it took forty-five days in total to reach Cape Town. However, they made it with a total flight time of 109 hours and 30 minutes.
source- thecolumnistz.com
1948: Sri Lanka declares independence from the UK
The British colony has been ruling Sri Lanka for over four-hundred years, then British Ceylon. The Sri Lankan independence movement aimed to achieve independence and self-rule for the country of Sri Lanka, from the British Empire. However, it was a peaceful political movement, initiated and led mostly by the educated middle class. The peaceful transfer of power from the British administration to the Dominion of Ceylon succeeded on February 4, 1948. However, the name changed from Dominion of Ceylon to Republic of Sri Lanka on May 22, 1972, after twenty-four years.
2004: Mark Zuckerberg launches Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg, a sophomore at Harvard University, launched a social media website, on February 4, 2004, The Facebook, from his dorm room. he created the website so that the students could connect with each other. But, over a thousand people registered on the website in just a single day. The website quickly gained popularity and now it has become one of the most popular social media websites. Moreover, today it has more than two billion active users per month.
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