Did you know that one day on a calendar can hide more dramatic twists of action than many historical films? April 3 is just such a day — full of discoveries, revolutions, brilliant minds and events that forever changed the course of history. If you are wondering what happened that day in history, we have a solid dose of facts, curiosity and surprises for you. Feel free to read.
What happened on April 3rd? Major events in history
1493 – Columbus triumphantly returns from the New World
Imagine a man who has just changed the image of humanity with the shape and size of Earth. — And who rides horseback into Barcelona to report to kings. This was what he looked like on April 3, 1493 when Christopher Columbus arrived at court of Ferdinand II and Isabella I. This was the first great account of the expedition to the New World, which started the era of European colonial expansion. This day in history symbolizes one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of geography and geopolitics.
1860 – Pony Express embarks on the first tour
On April 3, 1860, Pony Express's first horse-drawn mail relays set off from St. Joseph, Missouri, heading for Sacramento, California. — Over 3,000 kilometres through endless prairie, mountains and deserts. The riders changed every dozen miles and the shipments arrived in less than two weeks — record fast for those times. Although Pony Express operated only 18 months, he forever entered the legend of the Wild West as a symbol of courage and determination.
1882 – The Death of Jesse James
In the same city that Pony Express left — in St. Joseph, Missouri — On April 3, 1882, Jesse James, America's most famous bandit, ended his life. He was shot by Robert Ford, one of his own associates who hoped for a reward. The shot fell in the back of his head as James corrected the picture on his house wall. Ford's betrayal went to history, and James himself became an outlaw symbol — romanticized by pop culture to this day.
1922 – Stalin as Secretary-General of the Party
It would seem that the post of secretary general is an administrative, organizational function, somewhat in the shadow of the true leaders of the revolution. And yet, on April 3, 1922, Joseph Stalin took this role in the Russian Communist Party (bolsheviks) — And made her a real center of absolute power. For the next three decades, this one man will decide the fate of hundreds of millions of people. It is difficult to give a better example of how one event in the historical calendar can affect the fate of the world.
1948 – Marshall's plan enters into force
Just three years after World War II, Europe was in ruins — Literally and figuratively. On April 3, 1948, the United States Congress adopted a bill introducing the Marshall Plan, and President Harry Truman signed it on the same day. The programme provided billion-dollar financial support for rebuilding Western European states and became the foundation of Western European prosperity. What happened that day had a direct impact on what the continent looks like today.
1973 – Birth of a mobile phone
Today we keep the smartphone in our pocket and we don't even think that someone had to come up with this technology and present it for the first time. On April 3, 1973, Motoroli engineer Martin Cooper presented the first mobile phone in Manhattan — DynaTAC. He weighed a kilo, looked like a brick, and was just a phone call. However, this day in history is the moment of the birth of a communication revolution that changed every aspect of human life.
1981 – First portable computer and "Tygodnik Solidarność"
The same day brought two revolutions — one technological, the other political. In Britain, Adam Osborne presented Osborne 1 — The first ever portable personal computer that, although weighing nearly 11 kilograms, gave rise to the era of mobile data processing. Meanwhile, in Poland there was the first issue of "The Solidarity Weekly", a writing that became the voice of the greatest social movement in the post-war history of our country. Two Change Symbols — one of the best-filled date history cards in the calendar.
1849 – The Death of Juliusz Słowacki
On 3 April 1849 Juliusz Słowacki died in Paris — one of three witches of Polish Romanticism, author of "Kordian", "Balladyn" and "Beniowski". He was only 40 years old. He lived on emigration, away from his beloved homeland, creating works which today belong to the canon of Polish literature. His death was a great loss to national culture, but his words — as he had foretold — They survived him by a generation.
2005 – National mourning after the death of John Paul II
On 3 April 2005, the national mourning announced by President Alexander Kwasniewski after the death of Pope John Paul II began in Poland. It lasted until the funeral that took place on April 8. The public body of the Pope was displayed in the Vatican — There were queues of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world outside St. Peter's Basilica. For millions of Poles it was one of the most important and moving moments in the collective memory of recent decades.
Born 3 April
Marlon Brando (1924) – legendary American actor, one of the biggest cinemas in history, known for his roles in "The Godfather" and "Tramwaju called desire".
Doris Day (1922) – American actress and singer, the Hollywood icon of the 1950s and 1960s, known for its numerous romantic comedies and commitment to animal rights protection.
Alec Baldwin (1958) – American film and television actor, known for his series "30 Rock" and numerous roles in Hollywood productions.
Jane Goodall (1934) – British primatologist and ethologist, whose years of research of chimpanzees in Tanzania revolutionized the science of animal behaviour and human relations with nature.
Hanna Suchocka (1946) – Polish politician, first woman as Prime Minister in the history of Poland, later Minister of Justice and Ambassador to the Holy See.
World events
1043 – Coronation of Edward the Confessor – Edward the Confessor was crowned King of England, becoming one of the last Anglo-Saxon rulers before the Norman conquest.
1865 – Richmond Fall – Union troops captured Richmond in Virginia, the former capital of the Confederate States of America, which practically prejudged the end of the Civil War.
1975 – "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" premiere – The cult comedy directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones had its premiere, forever entering the history of cinema and absurd humor.
1966 – Luna 10 in orbit of the Moon – The Soviet Luna 10 probe entered orbit of the Moon, becoming the first artificial satellite of the Earth's natural satellite.
2007 – TGV speed record – The French TGV V150 train set a world speed record, reaching a staggering 574.8 km/h on tracks in northeastern France.
April 3 is a day in its historical calendar which houses at the same time great politics, groundbreaking inventions, literature and collective emotions of entire nations. It's a reminder that history doesn't just happen in great battles. — Sometimes one man, one phone call, one newspaper article. Come back tomorrow, because on April 4th, there are equally fascinating stories. — We guarantee you won't regret it.
