1545: The city of Potosi, Bolivia is founded when large silver deposits are discovered to exist in the area.
1625: A fleet of combined Portuguese and Spanish ships recapture Bahia from the Dutch during the Dutch-Portuguese War.
1789: The first quorum is held by the U.S House of Representatives and Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania is elected as its first Speaker of the House.
1826: A patent for his gas and/or vapor engine is granted to Samuel Morey.
1833: In San Felipe de Austin, the Convention of 1833 begins. This purpose of this convention is so that settlers in Mexican Texas can draft a series of petitions aimed at the Mexican government.
1854: In the magazine Household Words, the novel Hard Times by Charles Dickens begins its serialization run.
1865: Union forces led by General Philip Sheridan defeat Confederate forces led by General George Pickett during the American Civil War.
1873: In one of the worst marine disasters to occur during the Nineteenth century, the RMS Atlantic sinks off the coast of Nova Scotia. Over 540 people are killed in the disaster.
1889: Colorado State Normal School is founded. It would later become the University of Northern Colorado.
1891: In the city of Chicago in Illinois, the Wrigley Company is founded.
1924: The Royal Canadian Air Force is officially organized.
1924: Adolf Hitler receives a sentence of 5-years for his participation in the Beer Hall Putsch. However, he would only end up spending 9-months in jail.
Famous Birthdays on April 1
French mathematician and physicist, Sophie Germain is born in 1776.
French actress Ève Lavallière is born in 1866.
American actor Wallace Beery is born in 1885.
American actress, singer and dancer, Debbie Reynolds is born in 1932.
American model and actress, Ali MacGraw is born in 1939.