Abstract
May 4 is the 124th day of the year and the 125th in leap years in the Gregorian calendar. It is a significant day in time ranging recorded events to birthdates of renowned personnel. Besides the birthdays, many famous deaths have also been accorded to this day. This particular mini research papers briefly summarizes these events, births and deaths that occurred within this period in time.
The 4th of May in History
The 4th may is a rich day in terms of History. These events, births and deaths range from onset of time, the year 1256, when the Augustinian monastic order was formed at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV issued a papal bull Licet ecclesiae catholicae, to the recent May 4th 2010 when Social justice and online rights groups announced to be the year's International Day Against Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).
In May 4th 1256, the Augustinian monastic order was formed at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV issued a papal bull “Licet ecclesiae catholicae” (Becky 234). The order has made a very important missionary involvement to Christianity in addition to establishing educational and benevolent institutions all over the world. In addition to this important order, the same day in 1863 saw the beginning of the end of the American Civil War; in particular, the Battle of Chancellorsville as the Union began to retreat. On a sporting note, the same day but in 1871 saw the first professional baseball league, in the form of the National Association, open its first season in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This was a True history in the sporting world of baseball which took place when the first two National Association teams played in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In addition to these important scenarios of 4th May, in 1904, was the day the United States began the Construction on the Panama Canal. The Canal is a 48 mile ship canal located in Panama which connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is a key channel for global maritime trade. This was one of the biggest and most complicated engineering schemes employed in the world with massive impact on shipping between the two oceans. It seems the 4th May was a good day in history, because the list of events is endless. Did you know the famous Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was also created on 4th May 1910? The RCN per took a major role in World War I, besides contriving considerably in the Battle of the Atlantic through World War II. It was a part of NATO's force build-up during the Cold War.
Another major noticeable event was the May Fourth Movement in 1919.This took place in China, in a place known as Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It involved massive Student demonstrations protesting against the Treaty of Versailles, which involved transferring Chinese territory to Japan. These protests ignited national remonstrations and evidenced the surge of Chinese patriotism, a shift to political mobilization and away from cultural activities, and a move towards populist base rather than intellectual elite. During the world wars this date was also noteworthy For instance, in 1942 during the World War II, in particular The Battle of the Coral Sea, it marked its commencement through an aircraft attack by United States aircraft transporter Yorktown on Japanese marine forces at Tulagi Island in the Solomon Islands. The Japanese forces had attacked Tulagi the day before. In 1945 it marked the emancipation of the Neuengamme concentration camp situated near Hamburg by the British Army during World War II, in the same year it also involved the date that the North Germany Army surrendered to the Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. In 1994, the then Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and then PLO leader, Yasser Arafat, marked a peace agreement concerning Palestinian sovereignty thus yielding self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho. This was a great step towards peace in the Middle East. In addition, in 2007, the date represented The Scottish National Party winning the Scottish general election and becoming the main party in the Scottish Parliament for the first time ever. And finally but no least, May 4th 2010 when Social justice and online rights groups announced to be the year's International Day against Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).
As much as the day has famous events it also has its share of infamous ones, For instance, The PEPCON disaster of 1988 which rocked Henderson, Nevada. The PEPCON tragedy was an industrial catastrophe that transpired as a result of chemical fires and subsequent explosions claiming two lives, injuring 372 people, and causing an estimated US$100 million of damage (Bettor 34). “A large segment of the Las Vegas metropolitan area 10 miles away was involved, and numerous agencies triggered disaster plans” (Bettor 35).Another disaster in form of a 1.7mile wide EF-5 tornado almost completely destroyed Greensburg, Kansas 2007.
Famous birthdays are not left out either. They include in 1733 ,the birth of Jean-Charles de Borda, a French mathematician, physicist, political scientist, and sailor, in 1820 ,Julia Tyler, second wife of John Tyler and the First Lady of the United States in 1844. In 1825, saw the birth of Thomas Henry Huxley, an English scientist known as "Darwin's Bulldog" (Solomon 24) for his advocacy of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. In 1923 it was Stanley Biber, American physician, pioneer of transgender surgery who came to the world on this day. In 1928 it was Hosni Mubarak’s turn, the current President of Egypt but I think not for long. His country is currently facing a civilian coup. 1951 it was Jackie Jackson, American singer and musician of the famous, The Jackson 5. In 1959, another musician was born, Randy Travis, one of the American Idols in country music and finally in 2009, the birth of Prince Henrique of Denmark. It is also my birth day (Solomon 30).
4th of May also represents, Bird Day in the United States, Cassinga Day in Greenery Day in Japan, International Fire-fighter’s Day.
RhodeIsland Independence Day, May Fourth Movement commemorations and Star Wars Day .This day is deemed an unauthorized holiday by Star Wars fans to commemorate Star Wars way of life and consider the films.
To conclude, the 4th may has rich history tagged to it. My birthday is on this Day and I am proud to be associated with it.
Work Cited
Bettor, Radley, Today in History New York; Armageddon publishers, 33-36, 2003
Becky, A. Historical times. MA Dissertation: Potchefstroom, 234, 2005
Solomon, Martin, American History. Minnesota: Amado Inc., 17-35, 2002
