This Day In History : April 15

1892 United States

General Electric Company Formed

The General Electric Company was established on April 15, 1892, through the merger of Edison General Electric Company and Thomson-Houston Electric Company. This merger consolidated various electrical companies into one entity. General Electric became a major player in the development and distribution of electrical technology.

Also on This Day in History April 15

Discover what happened on April 15 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, April 15
  • 1902 Samuel K. Hoffman

    American engineer who led the development of the liquid fuel rocket engines used in America's early space programs.

  • 1896 Nikolay Nikolayevich Semyonov

    Russian physical chemist who shared the 1956 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Sir Cyril Hinshelwood for “their researches into the mechanism of chemical reactions.”

  • 1793 Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve

    German-Russian astronomer, one of the greatest 19th-century astronomers and the first in a line of four generations of distinguished astronomers.

  • 1800 James Clark Ross

    British naval officer who carried out important magnetic surveys in the Arctic and Antarctic and discovered the Ross Sea and the Victoria Land region of Antarctica.

  • 1858 Émile Durkheim

    French sociologist whose recognition as “father of sociology” rests on his pioneering works and influence on a generation of scholars.

Deaths on This Day, April 15
  • 1704 Johan van Waveren Hudde

    Dutch mathematician and statesman who, after an education in law, became interested in mathematics, though for a limited time (1654-63).

  • 2020 John Houghton

    Welsh metereologist who began in the late 1960s drawing attention to the buildup of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere and its result of global warming, now known as the greenhouse effect.

  • 1935 Charles Frederick Cross

    English chemist who, with Edward Bevan and Clayton Beadle, discovered cellulose could be produced (1891) by the dissolution of cellulose xanthate in dilute sodium hydroxide.

  • 1819 Oliver Evans

    American millwright and inventor who designed the first automatic corn mill (patented 18 Dec 1790), pioneered the high-pressure steam engine, and created the first continuous production line (1784).

  • 1894 Jean Charles Marignac

    Swiss chemist whose life work consisted of making many precise determinations of atomic weights suggested the possibility of isotopes and the packing fraction of nuclei.

1770

Eraser

In 1770, Dr. Joseph Priestley made the first mention in English that a piece of a rubber substance could erase marks from black-lead pencils.
1983

Tokyo Disneyland Opens

In 1983, Tokyo Disneyland opened its doors to the public, becoming the first Disney theme park outside the United States. Located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, it brought Disney's magical experience to Asia. The park features iconic attractions and entertainment, attracting millions of visitors annually.
1992

Vietnam Adopts 1992 Constitution

On April 15, 1992, the National Assembly of Vietnam adopted the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This new constitution replaced the 1980 version and introduced significant political and economic reforms. It marked a step toward modernization and integration with the global community.
2023

Germany Ends Use of Nuclear Power

On April 15, 2023, Germany closed its last three nuclear power plants: Emsland, Isar 2, and Neckarwestheim. This move marks Germany's transition to focus on renewable energy sources. The decision is part of the country's strategy to shift towards sustainable and environmentally friendly energy solutions.
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