April Fools Day Origin
Unverified
Date
April 01, 1582
Type
World
Author
hjwilson1975
Location
France
Categories
Cultural & Arts
Event Details
On April 1, 1582, France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Those who failed to recognize the change and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1st were mocked as "April Fools."
This event is widely cited as the origin of the April Fools' Day tradition of playing pranks and hoaxes.