Osun Defender History Corner: April 1 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashback and recall some events that marked this day.

April 1, 1700

English pranksters begin popularizing April Fool’s Day by playing practical jokes on each other.

April 1, 1789

The United States House of Representatives holds its first full meeting in New York City.

April 1, 1826

Samuel Morey patents the internal combustion engine.

April 1, 1853

Cincinnati becomes the first U.S. city to pay firefighters a regular salary.

April 1, 1873

The British White Star steamship RMS Atlantic sinks off Nova Scotia, killing at least 547 people.

April 1, 1918

The Royal Air Force is established in the United Kingdom.

April 1, 1924

Adolf Hitler is sentenced to five years imprisonment for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch but serves only nine months.

April 1, 1946

The tsunami of 1946, generated by an earthquake near the Aleutian Islands, strikes Hilo, Hawaii, resulting in significant damage and loss of life.

April 1, 1954

The United States Air Force Academy is established in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

April 1, 1976

Apple Inc. is founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.

April 1, 1984

Marvin Gaye is shot and killed by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., following an argument.

April 1, 1997

The United Kingdom hands sovereignty over Hong Kong to China.

April 1, 2001

The Netherlands becomes the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

April 1, 2004

Google launches Gmail, its free web-based email service.

April 1, 2012

The Titanic’s wreck site is protected under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, on the 100th anniversary of its sinking.

April 1, 2016

Panama Papers scandal erupts, revealing the widespread use of offshore tax havens by the wealthy and powerful.

April 1, 2018

Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhinoceros, dies in Kenya, bringing the subspecies closer to extinction.

April 1, 2019

Japan introduces a new era, Reiwa, with the ascension of Emperor Naruhito to the throne.

April 1, 2020

The World Health Organization warns that the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating, with over 800,000 confirmed cases worldwide.

April 1, 2021

The United States officially withdraws from the Treaty on Open Skies, a multilateral agreement that permits aerial surveillance flights over member countries for transparency and arms control purposes.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on April 1. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.