This Month in History, United States history, historical dates, events

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY

April 2008

April 3, 1860
Pony Express Began

On April 3, 1860, the first pony express rider left St. Joseph, Missouri, carrying important
mail in saddle bags. Riding day and night, 25 riders changed horses every 15 miles until they
reached Sacramento, California, 1996 miles away. The pony express helped connect California
with the rest of the Union, but within two years, it was replaced by the telegraph.

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THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1

2001 U.S. spy plane crash-landed in China.

April Fool's Day

2

1917 Wilson asked Congress for declaration of war against Germany.

3

1860 Pony Express began.

4

1949 NATO established.

5

1764 Sugar Act passed.

6

1917 U.S. entered World War I.

7

1969 Stanley v. Georgia decided.

8

1952 Truman seized the steel mills.

9

1865 Lee surrendered.

10

1951 General Douglas MacArthur fired.

11

1947 Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers.

12

1955 Salk vaccine released.

13

1861 Fort Sumter surrendered to Confederates.

14

1865 Lincoln assassinated.

15

1922 U.S. Senate began investigating the Teapot Dome Scandal.

16

1947 Texas City explosion

17

2000 Bond v. U.S. decided.

18

1775 Paul Revere's ride

19

1775 Revolutionary War began.

20

1971 Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education decided.
Passover

21

1836 Battle of San Jacinto won.

22

1987 McCleskey v. Kemp decided.

23

1908 Army Reserve established.

24

1800 Library of Congress established.

25

1898 Spanish-American War began.

26

1995 U.S. v. Lopez decided.

27

1521 Magellan killed.

28

1965 U.S. troops sent to Dominican Republic.

29

1992 Verdicts in the Rodney King beating trial triggered riots in Los Angeles.

30

1986 Batson v. Kentucky decided.

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