April 2 is the 92th day of the year (93th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining.
Events 1513 - Juan Ponce de Leon sets foot on Florida becoming the first known European to do so. 1792 - The Coinage Act is passed establishing the United States Mint. 1801 - Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Copenhagen - The British destroy the Danish fleet. 1865 - American Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis and most of his Cabinet flee the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. 1902 - "Electric Theatre", the first movie theater in the United States , opens in Los Angeles, California. 1917 - President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war on Germany. 1982 - Falklands War: Argentina invades the British-owned Falkland Islands starting the war. 1992 - In New York, Mafia boss John Gotti is convicted of murder and racketeering and is later sentenced to life in prison. 1992 - Pierre Bérégovoy becomes Prime Minister of France 1993 - Doom alpha version 0.4 is finished. 2002 - Israeli forces surrounded the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem which has around 200 Palestinians inside. A siege ensues. Births 742 - Charlemagne, King of the Franks († 814) 1725 - Casanova, adventurer and writer († 1798) 1798 - August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben, lyricist († 1874, writer of "Das Lied der Deutschen") 1805 - Hans Christian Andersen, writer († 1875) 1834 - Frédéric Bartholdi, sculptor († 1904) 1840 - Emile Zola, novelist and critic († 1902) 1867 - Eugene Sandow, body builder, circus performer († 1925) 1875 - Walter Chrysler, automobile pioneer († 1940) 1891 - Max Ernst, painter († 1976) 1908 - Buddy Ebsen, actor, dancer 1914 - Sir Alec Guinness, actor († 2000) 1920 - Jack Webb, actor, director, producer († 1982) 1925 - Hans Rosenthal, showmaster († 1987) 1925 - George MacDonald Fraser, author 1927 - Ferenc Puskás, Hungarian footballer 1928 - Serge Gainsbourg, singer († 1991) 1934 - Brian Glover, British actor, wrestler († 1997) 1934 - Paul Joseph Cohen, mathematician. 1939 - Marvin Gaye, singer († 1984) 1940 - Penelope Keith, actress 1947 - Camille Paglia, feminist writer 1947 - Emmylou Harris, singer Deaths 1502 - Prince Arthur Tudor, elder brother of Henry VIII of England 1865 - General A.P. Hill, Confederate commander 1872 - Samuel Morse, inventor of Morse code (1791) 1922 - Hermann Rorschach, psychologist (1884) 1966 - C.S. Forester, author 1974 - Georges Pompidou, President of France 1987 - Buddy Rich, drummer 1994 - Betty Furness, author 2003 - Edwin Starr, singer 2003 - Terenci Moix, author Holidays and observances See Also: April 1 - April 3 - March 2 - May 2 -- listing of all days January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
April 1 - April 3 - March 2 - May 2 -- listing of all days
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December