Today In History For March 4th

Today is Friday, March 4, the 63rd day of 2011. There are 302 days left in the year.

On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th president of the United States. The U.S. Government Printing Office began operation. The Confederate States of America adopted as its flag, the original version of the Stars and Bars (not to be confused with the more familiar Confederate Battle Flag).

In 1789, the Constitution of the United States went into effect as the first Federal Congress met in New York. (The lawmakers then
adjourned for lack of a quorum.)

In 1791, Vermont became the 14th state.