August 4, 1735: Printer <a href="/encyclopedia/history/bios/us/zenger-john-peter">John Peter Zenger</a>, defended by <a href="/encyclopedia/history/bios/us/hamilton-andrew-colonial-american-lawyer">Andrew Hamilton</a>, was acquitted of libel in a case that helped foster <a href="/encyclopedia/social-science/government/concepts/press-freedom-of-the">freedom of the press</a>.
August 4, 1884: Thomas Stevens became the first person to <a href="/encyclopedia/science/tech/terms/bicycle">bicycle</a> across the United States. He later bicycled around the world.
August 4, 1892: <p><a href="/encyclopedia/history/bios/us/borden-lizzie-andrew">Lizzie Borden's</a> father and stepmother were killed with an axe in <a href="/curious-collections-3"> Fall River, Mass.</a></p>
August 4, 1914: <a href="/node/70499">Germany</a> invaded <a href="/node/70449">Belgium</a> and, in response, <a href="/node/70608">Britain</a> declared war on Germany.
August 4, 1916: <a href="/world/countries-world/denmark-0">Denmark</a> ceded the Danish <a href="/encyclopedia/places/latin-america/caribbean/west-indies">West Indies</a>, including the Danish <a href="/world/countries-world/us-virgin-islands-0">Virgin Islands</a>, to the <a href="/world/countries-world/united-states">United States</a> for &#036;25 million.
August 4, 1944: <a href="/encyclopedia/arts/world-lit/german-bios/frank-anne">Anne Frank</a> and her family were found hiding in <a href="/encyclopedia/places/west-europe/benelux/amsterdam-city-netherlands">Amsterdam</a> by Nazis.
August 4, 1964: The bodies of <a href="/node/171557">three civil-rights workers </a>were found in an earthen dam, six weeks into a federal investigation backed by <a href="/node/155741">President Johnson </a>
August 4, 1977: <a href="/biographies/government-politics/us-presidents/james-earl-carter-jr">President Carter</a> signed a congressional act that established the <a href="/encyclopedia/social-science/government/us/energy-united-states-department-of">Department of Energy</a>.
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