On This Day
What Happened on January 4 in History
8 events that happened on January 4, oldest first. Every entry is written in our own words and links to its source.
The Young Republic and the Civil War Era
1896
Utah entered the Union as the 45th state.
Statehood came six years after Mormon church president Wilford Woodruff issued a manifesto that ended the church's sanction of polygamy, a long-running source of conflict with the federal government.
Source: history.com; history.com
The Cold War
1948
Burma became independent from Britain, and the United States recognized the new nation that day.
Burmese leaders had agreed with Britain on a path to independence in 1947, then elected a constituent assembly and wrote a constitution. President Harry S. Truman sent a congratulatory message to Burma's first president, Sao Shwe Thaike.
Source: history.state.gov
1958
1965
Lyndon B. Johnson laid out his vision of a Great Society in his State of the Union address.
It was the first evening State of the Union broadcast on television. Congress went on to pass Medicare and Medicaid, Head Start and the Voting Rights Act as part of Johnson's program.
Source: history.house.gov; millercenter.org
1990
An overloaded passenger train crashed into a parked freight train near Sangi, Pakistan.
The Zakaria Bahauddin train was switched onto a side track where a 67-car freight train stood. Between 200 and 300 people were killed in Pakistan's worst rail accident up to that time.
Source: history.com
The Modern Era
1995
The 104th Congress convened with Republicans controlling both chambers for the first time in 40 years.
It was the first Congress fully under Republican control since the Eisenhower era. Newt Gingrich, whose Contract with America helped the party win both chambers, became Speaker of the House.
Source: history.com; pbs.org
2007
Nancy Pelosi of California became the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House.
Pelosi took the gavel from Republican John Boehner as Democrats assumed control of the House. As Speaker she stood second in the presidential line of succession.
Source: history.house.gov; npr.org
2010
The Burj Khalifa opened in Dubai as the world's tallest skyscraper.
The half-mile-high tower took the title from Taiwan's Taipei 101. It opened as the Burj Dubai and was renamed the same day to honor the president of the United Arab Emirates.
Source: npr.org