On This Day

Today in History, March 4th

On March 4, 1933, FDR took office in the depths of the Depression. Plus the Constitution taking effect in 1789 and Lincoln's 1861 inauguration.

By Today in History Updated November 10, 2026 3 min read Sources checked

Published March 4, 2026 · Last updated November 10, 2026

March 4 is best known for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first inauguration in 1933, when he told a nation deep in the Great Depression that the only thing it had to fear was fear itself. The date also marks the start of government under the U.S. Constitution in 1789 and Abraham Lincoln’s first inauguration in 1861.

The big story: FDR Takes Office in the Depths of the Depression (1933)

Few presidents have started work under worse conditions. By March 1933, roughly 13 million Americans had no job, farmers were going under, and factories were turning out only a little more than half of what they had in 1929. In the months between the election and the inauguration, things got worse, and by Inauguration Day almost every bank in the country had closed its doors. On March 4, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt took the oath outside the Capitol and became the 32nd president. His address is remembered for one line, telling Americans that fear itself was the thing to fear. He followed the words with a burst of action. Working with a Democratic Congress, he won approval for most of his New Deal programs within about 100 days, including the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the National Industrial Recovery Act and the Tennessee Valley Authority. That first sprint became the yardstick later presidents would be measured against.

More events on March 4

Year	What happened
1461	During the Wars of the Roses, the Yorkists deposed King Henry VI of England, and Edward IV was proclaimed king in London.
1681	King Charles II granted William Penn the charter for Pennsylvania, which Penn meant as a refuge for Quakers and other persecuted groups.
1776	Under cover of night, American troops occupied Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston, putting the British-held city in range of their cannon.
1789	The U.S. Constitution took effect as the first Congress convened in New York City.
1804	Irish convicts rose up at Castle Hill near Sydney, Australia’s first rebellion.
1837	Chicago was incorporated as a city, with about 4,200 residents.
1861	Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th president, as Southern states were leaving the Union.
1933	Frances Perkins was sworn in as secretary of labor, the first woman to serve in a U.S. cabinet.
1982	Bertha Wilson became the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada.
2004	Mianne Bagger played in the Women’s Australian Open, becoming the first openly transgender golfer to compete in a professional tournament.
2009	The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Born on March 4

1678: Antonio Vivaldi, Venetian composer of The Four Seasons.
1888: Knute Rockne, Norwegian-born coach who made Notre Dame a college football power.
1932: Miriam Makeba, South African singer who became a leading voice against apartheid.