Today in History
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2007 The world’s first national internet election is held
Estonia was the first country to allow citizens to vote in parliamentary elections via the internet.
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1980 Robert Mugabe becomes Zimbabwe’s first black prime minister
Mugabe, a hero of the black struggle against white minority rule in his country, won by a landslide. His oppressive leadership style has recently been condemned both domestically and internationally.
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1977 The Vrancea earthquake claims over 1500 lives
Most of the victims were residents of Romania’s capital Bucharest.
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1918 The first documented cases of the Spanish flu herald a deadly worldwide pandemic
The disease quickly spread around the world, causing over 25 million deaths.
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1789 The U.S. Constitution is put into effect
The law is one of the world’s oldest still-in-use constitutions. The oldest is the San Marino Constitution, which was issued in 1600.
Births On This Day, March 4
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1968 Graham Westley
English footballer, manager
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1951 Chris Rea
English singer-songwriter, guitarist
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1950 Rick Perry
American politician, 47th Governor of Texas
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1932 Ryszard Kapuściński
Polish journalist
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1678 Antonio Vivaldi
Italian violinist, composer
Deaths On This Day, March 4
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2008 Gary Gygax
American game designer, writer, co-created Dungeons & Dragons
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1977 Anatol E. Baconsky
Romanian poet, author, and critic
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1888 Amos Bronson Alcott
American educator, philosopher
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1852 Nikolai Gogol
Ukrainian/Russian author, playwright
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1811 Mariano Moreno
Argentinian lawyer, journalist, politician