What’s Observed on March 4
Born on March 4: Pisces ♓
Pisces, the twelfth and final sign of the zodiac, spans February 19 to March 20 and is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions, tied together by a cord, representing the tension between fantasy and reality, or the conscious and subconscious mind. Ruled by Neptune, the planet of dreams, intuition, and illusion, Pisces is widely regarded as the most emotionally sensitive and imaginative sign of the zodiac. As a Water sign, Pisces navigates the world primarily through feeling and empathy, often absorbing the moods of people around it as though they were its own. Its Mutable modality reflects a deep adaptability and fluidity, comfortable going with the flow rather than forcing rigid plans. People born under this sign are often drawn to art, music, and other creative or spiritual pursuits where their vivid imagination can take shape. Compassionate to a fault, Pisces individuals are frequently the ones quietly caring for others, sometimes at the expense of their own boundaries and needs.
Personality Traits
Strengths
- Deeply empathetic and compassionate
- Highly imaginative and artistic
- Intuitive and perceptive
- Selfless and generous
- Adaptable to change
Weaknesses
- Prone to escapism or avoidance
- Overly trusting, can be taken advantage of
- Difficulty setting boundaries
- Tends toward melancholy
- Indecisive
Compatible Signs
Fun Facts
- Pisces' symbol of two fish bound together swimming in opposite directions comes from a Greek myth in which Aphrodite and Eros transformed into fish and tied themselves together to escape the monster Typhon.
- As the twelfth and final sign of the zodiac, Pisces is often described as embodying traits of all the preceding signs, a kind of culmination of the zodiac wheel.
- Neptune, Pisces' modern ruling planet, is the Roman god of the sea, discovered in 1846 and named for its blue, oceanic appearance.
- Notable Pisces include Albert Einstein, Rihanna, Steve Jobs, and Kurt Cobain.
- Classical astrology assigns Jupiter as Pisces' ruler, before Neptune's discovery in the 19th century gave the sign its modern ruling planet.
Born on March 4
- 1678
Antonio Vivaldi
Italian Baroque composer and violinist known for "The Four Seasons"
- 1745
Casimir Pulaski
Polish military commander who fought for American independence
- 1888
Knute Rockne
American football player and legendary Notre Dame head coach
- 1904
George Gamow
Ukrainian-American physicist who helped develop Big Bang theory
- 1913
John Garfield
American film actor known for tough, working-class roles
- 1923
Patrick Moore
English astronomer and longtime television host
- 1932
Miriam Makeba
South African singer and civil rights activist
On This Day in History
- 1493
Christopher Columbus arrives back in Lisbon, Portugal, completing his first voyage to the Americas.
Returning from his first transatlantic voyage aboard the Nina, Christopher Columbus reached Lisbon after being forced off course by storms, allowing him to report his discoveries to the Portuguese court before continuing to Spain. His arrival announced the existence of lands previously unknown to Europeans, launching an era of exploration and colonization.
- 1519
Hernan Cortes arrives on the coast of Mexico, beginning the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.
Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes landed on the Mexican coast near present-day Veracruz with several hundred men, horses, and cannons. His subsequent alliance-building with rival indigenous groups and eventual siege of Tenochtitlan led to the collapse of the Aztec Empire within two years, reshaping the course of Mesoamerican history.
- 1776
Continental Army forces fortify Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston, forcing the British to abandon their siege of the city.
Continental Army troops under George Washington secretly fortified Dorchester Heights overnight, positioning artillery captured at Fort Ticonderoga to threaten British ships in Boston Harbor. Facing an untenable position, the British evacuated the city days later, delivering the first major American victory of the Revolutionary War.
- 1789
The first United States Congress convenes in New York, formally putting the Constitution into effect.
The first Congress under the newly ratified U.S. Constitution convened in New York City, though it initially lacked a quorum for several weeks. Its eventual business included passing the Bill of Rights and establishing the framework of the federal government, transforming the young nation from a loose confederation into a functioning republic.
- 1797
John Adams is inaugurated as the second U.S. president, the first to begin his term on March 4th.
John Adams took the oath of office as the second president of the United States, succeeding George Washington in the nation's first peaceful transfer of power between rival political factions. His presidency was marked by tensions with France and the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts.
- 1861
The Confederate States of America adopts its first national flag, known as the "Stars and Bars."
Delegates of the newly formed Confederate States of America adopted the "Stars and Bars" as their first national flag, weeks before the attack on Fort Sumter began the Civil War. Its similarity to the U.S. flag caused battlefield confusion, prompting the Confederacy to later adopt different battle flag designs.
- 1918
The first recorded case of the 1918 influenza pandemic, the "Spanish flu," is documented at a U.S. Army camp in Kansas.
An army cook at Camp Funston, Kansas, reported flu-like symptoms in what is often cited as the first documented case of the 1918 influenza pandemic. The virus spread rapidly through military camps and then the world via troop movements, eventually killing tens of millions in one of history's deadliest pandemics.
- 1933
Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated as the 32nd U.S. president amid the depths of the Great Depression.
Franklin D. Roosevelt took the presidential oath amid the depths of the Great Depression, with unemployment near 25 percent and the banking system near collapse. His inaugural address, declaring "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," launched the New Deal era of sweeping federal intervention in the economy.
- 1986
The Soviet probe Vega 1 begins transmitting the first close-up images of Halley's Comet's nucleus.
The Soviet probe Vega 1, en route to a rendezvous with Halley's Comet, began transmitting the first detailed images of the comet's icy, irregularly shaped nucleus. The mission, part of a coordinated international effort, provided scientists with unprecedented data about cometary composition and structure.
- 2018
Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter are poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury, England.
Former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, who had spied for Britain, and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury after exposure to the Novichok nerve agent. British authorities blamed Russian intelligence operatives, triggering a diplomatic crisis and coordinated expulsions of Russian diplomats across Western nations.