February 4 has been shaped by social media revolutions, wartime diplomacy, and the founding of enduring institutions.
Roman Emperor Septimius Severus died at Eboracum (modern York, England) while campaigning in Britain. He was succeeded by his sons Caracalla and Geta, who immediately began plotting against each other.
King George III issued a royal proclamation declaring the cessation of hostilities with the United States. This formal recognition came after the preliminary peace agreements of 1782.
George Washington was unanimously elected the first President of the United States by the Electoral College. He received all 69 electoral votes cast.
Delegates from six seceded Southern states met in Montgomery, Alabama, to form the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis would be elected as the Confederacy's president.
Fighting broke out between American and Filipino forces in Manila, beginning the Philippine-American War. The conflict would last three years and result in significant casualties on both sides.
Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met at Yalta in Crimea to plan the final defeat of Nazi Germany and the postwar order. The agreements reached would shape the Cold War era.
Mark Zuckerberg officially launched Facebook from his Harvard dormitory. The site would expand beyond Ivy League schools to become the world's largest social network.