On This Day – February 4

• 2004 Facebook is founded

  The social networking service currently has over 1 billion active users.

• 1948 Ceylon (Sri Lanka) proclaims independence within the British Commonwealth

  Since the 16th century, the island had been colonized by Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain.

• 1861 The Confederate States of America are established

  6 slave states met in Montgomery, Alabama to form the Confederacy, which lasted only until 1865.

• 1859 German archeologist Constantin von Tischendorf discovers the Codex Sinaiticus

  The “Sinai Bible”, a handwritten copy of the Greek Bible, is considered a great historical treasure.

• 1789 George Washington is elected as first President of the United States

  Washington took office on April 30, 1789.