Dec. 1
– birthdays: 1935 – Woody Allen (movie actor/director – Annie Hall) / 1940 – Richard Pryor (actor/comedian – Stir Crazy) / 1945 – Bette Midler (actress/singer – “Wind Beneath My Wings”)
– 1953 – Hugh Hefner publishes the first Playboy magazine with Marilyn Monroe as the centerfold
– 1954 – Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to move to the back of the bus
Rosa Parks – Library of Congress
– 1984 – Chris Evert wins her 1,000th professional tennis match
– 2003 – the last of the Lord of the Rings trilogy premieres
Quote: History is written by the victors. – Winston Churchill
Dec. 2
– birthdays: 1923 – Maria Callas (opera singer) / 1968 – Lucy Liu (actress) / 1981 – Brittany Spears (singer – biggest hit = “Baby One More Time”) / 1983 – Aaron Rodgers (quarterback)
– 1823 – Pres. Monroe issues the Monroe Doctrine
– 1859 – abolitionist John Brown hanged for treason and murder
John Brown going to the gallows – Library of Congress
– 1901 – King Gillette starts selling safety razors
– 1941 – Japanese fleet sails for Pearl Harbor
– 1954 – the Senate censures Joseph McCarthy for misconduct
– 1970 – Environmental Protection Agency goes into operation
Quote: One faces the future with one’s past. – Pearl S. Buck
Dec. 3
– birthdays: 1826 – George McClellan (Union general in Civil War) / 1948 – Ozzy Osbourne (rock singer – biggest hit with Iron Maiden – “Iron Man”) / 1960 – Daryl Hannah (actress – Splash) / 1960 – Julianne Moore (actress – Magnolia)
– 1828 – Andrew Jackson elected President by the House of Representatives
– 1847 – Frederick Douglass publishes the first issue his anti-slavery newspaper The North Star
Frederick Douglass – Library of Congress
– 1979 – 11 fans killed in stampede at Who concert in Cincinnati
– 1989 – Pres. George HW Bush and Soviet Premier Gorbachev declare the Cold War over
Quote: You can’t be a full participant in our democracy if you don’t know our history. – David McCullough
Dec. 4
– birthdays: 1840 – Crazy Horse (Sioux Indian leader) / 1858 – Chester Greenwood (inventor of ear muffs) / 1912 – Pappy Boyington (Marine ace in WWII; leader of the Black Sheep Squadron) / 1937 – Max Baer, Jr. (Jethro of The Beverly Hillbillies TV show) / 1949 – Jeff Bridges (actor – The Big Lebowski) / 1964 – Marisa Tomei (actress – My Cousin Vinny) / 1969 – Jay-Z (rapper – biggest hit = “Empire State of Mind”) / 1973 – Tyra Banks (supermodel)
– 1875 – Boss Tweed escapes from jail
William “Boss” Tweed – Library of Congress
– 1918 – Pres. Wilson sails for the Versailles Conference
– 1954 – first Burger King opens in Miami
Quote: The charm of history and its enigmatic lessons consists in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different. – Aldous Huxley
Dec. 5
– birthdays: 1782 – Martin Van Buren (8th President) / 1839 – George Armstrong Custer (Civil War general / Indian fighter) / 1871 – Bill Pickett (rodeo performer; inventor of bull-dogging) / 1901 – Walt Disney / 1932 – Little Richard (early rock n’ roller – biggest hit = “Tutti Frutti”)
– 1792 – George Washington re-elected President
Library of Congress
– 1848 – Pres. Polk starts the Gold Rush announcing the discovery of gold in California
– 1932 – Einstein granted visa to enter the U.S.
– 1933 – 21st Amendment ratified ending Prohibition
– 1955 – AFL and CIO merge
– 1955 – Montgomery Bus Boycott begins
– 1967 – Dr. Benjamin Spock and Allen Ginsberg are arrested for protesting the Vietnam War
– 2008 – OJ Simpson is sentenced to 33 years in prison for kidnapping and armed robbery
Quote: I know of no time in human history where ignorance was better than knowledge. – Neil deGrasse Tyson
Dec. 6
– birthdays: 1886 – Joyce Kilmer (poet – “Trees”) / 1955 – Steven Wright (stand-up comic)
– 1877 – Thomas Edison records “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on his phonograph
Edison with his phonograph – Library of Congress
– 1964 – Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer debuts on TV
– 1969 – Hell’s Angels kill a concert-goer during a Rolling Stones set at the Altamount outdoor concert
– 1973 – Gerald Ford becomes the first unelected Vice President
Quote: One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say. – Will Durant
Dec. 7
– birthdays: 1873 – Willa Cather (author – My Antonia) / 1947 – Johnny Bench (baseball Hall of Fame catcher) / 1956 – Larry Bird (Hall of Fame basketball player)
– 1941 – Pearl Harbor
the USS Shaw blows up – Library of Congress
– 1949 – Chiang Kai-shek flees to Formosa (today Taiwan)
Quote: Man seems to insist on ignoring the lessons available from history. – Norman Borlaug
Dec. 8
– birthdays: 1765 – Eli Whitney (inventor of the cotton gin) / 1925 – Sammy Davis, Jr. (entertainer – “The Candyman”) / 1933 – Flip Wilson (comedian – Laugh-In) / David Carradine (actor – Kung Fu) / Jim Morrison (rock singer – The Doors – biggest hit = “Light My Fire”) / Gregg Allman (guitarist for The Allman Brothers Band – biggest hit = “Ramblin Man”) / 1953 – Sam Kinison (stand-up comic) / 1953 – Kim Basinger (actress – L.A. Confidential) / 1982 – Nicki Minaj (rapper – biggest hit = “Anaconda”)
– 1776 – Washington’s army crosses the Delaware River into Pennsylvania after retreating across New Jersey
– 1886 – American Federation of Labor formed with Samuel Gompers as its first president
Samuel Gompers – Library of Congress
– 1941 – FDR makes his “date that will live in infamy” speech declaring war on Japan
– 1952 – pregnancy acknowledged for the first time on TV in the I Love Lucy series, but the word “pregnant” could not be used
– 1987 – Ron Hextall scores the first goal by a goalie in the NHL
– 1987 – Reagan and Gorbachev sign treaty eliminating medium range nuclear missiles in Europe
Quote: History repeats itself, and that’s one of the things that’s wrong with history. – Clarence Darrow
Dec. 9
– birthdays: 1848 – Joel Chandler Harris (author – Uncle Remus stories) / 1886 – Clarence Birdseye (founder of the modern frozen foods industry) / 1898 – Emmett Kelley (America’s most famous circus clown) / 1916 – Kirk Douglas (actor – Spartacus) / 1922 – Redd Foxx (comedian – Sanford and Son) / 1942 – Dick Butkus (Hall of Fame football player/coach) / 1953 – John Malkovich (actor – Places in the Heart)
Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit – Library of Congress
– 1965 – first Peanuts TV special – A Charlie Brown Christmas
– 1967 – Jim Morrison of the Doors becomes the first rock performer to be arrested on stage (for disturbing the peace)
Quote: It is human nature that repeats itself, not history. – John Toland
Dec. 10
– birthdays: 1805 – William Lloyd Garrison (abolitionist; published The Liberator newspaper) / 1830 – Emily Dickinson (poet) / 1961 – Nia Peebles (dancer – Fame)
– 1898 – Spanish-American War ends with the Treaty of Paris
Lady Liberty between an American sailor and a soldier – Library of Congress
– 1906 – Teddy Roosevelt becomes first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War
– 1919 – Woodrow Wilson wins the Nobel Peace Prize for his “Fourteen Points”
– 1931 – Jane Addams becomes first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Jane Addams – Library of Congress
– 1950 – Ralph Bunche becomes first African-American to win Nobel Peace Prize
– 1964 – Martin Luther King, Jr. wins the Nobel Peace Prize
– 2009 – Barack Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize for not being George W. Bush
– 2016 – Bob Dylan wins the Nobel Prize for Literature
Quote: Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. – George Santayana
Dec. 11
– birthdays: 1725 – George Mason (Father of the Bill of Rights) / 1931 – Rita Moreno (actress – West Side Story) / 1943 – John Kerry (2004 Presidential candidate / Obama Secretary of State) / 1996 – Hailee Steinfeld (actress – True Grit)
– 1622 – Myles Standish and a group of Pilgrims battle Indians in the “First Encounter”
Miles Standish – Library of Congress
– 1913 – the “Mona Lisa” is recovered two years after being stolen from the Louvre
– 1941 – Japan captures Guam
– 1951 – Joe Dimaggio announces his retirement from baseball
– 1980 – Magnum P.I., starring Tom Selleck, premieres
– 1981 – Ali fights his 61st and last fight, losing to Trevor Berbick
Quote: History is not a recipe book; past events are never replicated in the present in quite the same way. Historical events are infinitely variable and their interpretations are a constantly shifting process. There are no certainties to be found in the past. – Gerda Lerner
Dec. 12
– birthdays: 1745 – John Jay (first Chief Justice) / 1915 – Frank Sinatra (singer – “My Way” / actor – From Here to Eternity) / 1923 – Bob Barker (game show host – The Price Is Right) / 1932 – Bob Pettit (NBA Hall of Fame) / 1940 – Dionne Warwick (singer – biggest hit = “That’s What Friends Are For”) / 1975 – Mayim Bialik (actress – The Big Bang Theory)
– 1961 – Adolf Eichmann found guilty of war crimes in a trial in Israel
Eichmann in the glass booth at his trial – Library of Congress
– 1961 – Martin Luther King, Jr. and 700 demonstrators arrested in Albany, Georgia
– 1968 – Arthur Ashe becomes first African-American to be ranked #1 in tennis
Quote: History doesn’t repeat itself – at best it sometimes rhymes. – Mark Twain
Dec. 13
– birthdays: 1818 – Mary Todd Lincoln / 1887 – Alvin York (the most decorated doughboy) / 1925 – Dick Van Dyke (actor – The Dick Van Dyke Show) / 1967 – Jamie Foxx (actor – Ray) / 1989 – Taylor Swift (pop singer – biggest hit = “Shake it Off”)
– 1862 – Battle of Fredericksburg – Lee defeats Union Gen. Burnsides
Battle of Fredericksburg – Library of Congress
– 1928 – clip-on tie designed
– 1969 – Arlo Guthrie releases “Alice’s Restaurant”
– 2003 – Saddam Hussein is captured
Quote: The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former. – Alfred A. Montapert
Dec. 14
– birthdays: 1896 – James Doolittle (aviation pioneer; leader of the Doolittle Raid) / 1897 – Margaret Chase Smith (Congresswoman who took on Joe McCarthy)
– 1915 – Jack Johnson becomes first black heavyweight boxing champ
Jack Johnson – Library of Congress
– 1969 – Jackson 5 appear on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time
– 2008 – Iraqi journalist throws two shoes at Pres. George W. Bush at a press conference
Quote: Value people on their potential, not on their history. – Bo Bennett
Dec. 15
– birthdays: 1861 – Charles Duryea (America’s first auto maker) / 1933 – Tim Conway (actor – Carol Burnett Show) / 1949 – Don Johnson (actor – Miami Vice)
– 1664 – England colonizes Connecticut
– 1791 – the Bill of Rights is ratified
Library of Congress
– 1939 – Gone With the Wind premieres
– 1944 – band leader Glenn Miller’s plane disappears over the English Channel
– 1944 – Eisenhower promoted to five star general
– 1961 – Adolf Eichmann sentenced to death for war crimes after trial in Israel
– 1973 – Pirates of the Caribbean ride premieres at Disneyland
Quote: I love history because when you strip away the social and political aspects, it’s really just a bunch of fun stories. – Duff Goldman
Dec. 16
– birthdays: 1901 – Margaret Mead (anthropologist) / 1944 – Yosemite Sam (first cartoon – “Stage Door Cartoon”) / 1981 Flo Rida (rapper – biggest hit = “Whistle”)
– 1773 – Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party – Library of Congress
– 1907 – the “Great White Fleet” sets sail
Quote: History is a tool used by politicians to justify their intentions. – Ted Koppel
Dec. 17
– birthdays: 1807 – John Greenleaf Whittier (abolitionist / poet – “Snow-bound”) / 1953 – Bill Pullman (actor – Independence Day)
– 1903 – first airplane flight by the Wright Brothers
the first flight – Library of Congress
– 1925 – Gen. Billy Mitchell court-martialed for insubordination
– 1965 – Houston Astrodome opens with Judy Garland / The Supremes concert
– 1989 – The Simpsons premieres
Quote: History, like God, is watching what we do. – Bono
Dec. 18
– birthdays: 1863 – Franz Ferdinand / 1878 – Josef Stalin / 1886 – Ty Cobb (Hall of Fame baseball player) / 1912 – Benjamin Davis, Jr. (leader of the Tuskegee Airmen) / 1916 – Betty Grable (actress / pin-up) / 1943 – Keith Richards (Rolling Stones guitarist) / 1946 – Steven Spielberg (director – Schindler’s List) / 1963 – Brad Pitt (actor – Fight Club) / 1970 – DMX (rapper – biggest hit= “Party Up”) / 1978 – Katie Holmes (actress – Dawson’s Creek) / 1980 – Christina Aguilera (singer – biggest hit = “Genie in a Bottle”) / Billie Eilish (singer – biggest hit = “Bad Guy”)
– 1898 – automobile speed record set at 39 mph
– 1916 – Battle of Verdun ends with German defeat and almost 1 million casualties
pile of human bones at Verdun – Library of Congress
– 1966 – How the Grinch Stole Christmas premieres
– 2009 – Avatar premieres
Quote: You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own. – Michelle Obama
Dec. 19
– 1875 – Carter Woodson (Father of African-American History) / 1906 – Leonid Brezhnev (Soviet Premier 1964-1982) / 1933 – Cicely Tyson (actress – Miss Jane Pittman) / 1963 – Jennifer Biel (actress – Flashdance) / 1972 – Alyssa Milano (actress – Charmed; me too activist) / 1980 – Jake Gyllenhaal (actor – Jarhead)
– 1732 – Ben Franklin begins publishing Poor Richard’s Almanac
– 1776 – Thomas Paine publishes his “American Crisis” essay
Thomas Paine – Library of Congress
– 1777 – Washington establishes his army at Valley Forge
Library of Congress
– 1918 – Robert Ripley publishes his first “Believe It of Not”
– 1950 – Eisenhower becomes NATO commander
– 1986 – Platoon released
– 1998 – House of Representatives forwards impeachment charges against Clinton to the Senate
– 2001 – Fellowship of the Ring is released
Quote: American history contains much matter for pride and congratulation, and much matter for regret and humiliation. – Herbert Croly
Dec. 20
– birthdays: 1868 – Harvey Firestone / 1881 – Branch Rickey (Dodgers executive who signed Jackie Robinson) / 1983 – Jonah Hill (actor – Superbad)
Harvey Firestone – Library of Congress
– 1924 – Hitler released from prison for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch
– 1941 – Flying Tigers have their first combat
Lt. Gen. Hap Arnold and Gen. Claire Chennault inspect a P-40 – Library of Congress
– 1946 – It’s a Wonderful Life premieres
– 1971 – Ms. magazine debuts with Gloria Steinem publishing
– 1989 – invasion of Grenada to oust Manuel Noriega
Quote: I am passionately interested in understanding how my country works. And if you want to know about this thing called the United States of America you have to know about the Civil War. – Ken Burns
Dec. 21
– birthdays: 1603 – Roger Williams (founder of Rhode Island) / 1911 – Josh Gibson (Negro League legendary home run hitter) / 1926 – Joe Paterno (Hall of Fame college football coach) / 1937 – Jane Fonda (actress – Klute) / 1940 – Frank Zappa (rock singer) / 1948 – Samuel L. Jackson (actor – Pulp Fiction) / 1954 – Chris Evert (tennis star with 18 Grand Slam titles) / 1957 – Ray Romano (actor – Everybody Loves Raymond) / 1966 – Kiefer Sutherland (actor – 24)
– 1620 – Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock
landing of the Pilgrims – Library of Congress
– 1784 – John Jay becomes the first Chief Justice
– 1864 – Gen. Sherman captures Savannah, Georgia
– 1891 – first basketball game played with rules developed by James Naismith
– 1937 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premieres
– 1970 – Pres. Nixon meets Elvis Presley in the Oval Office
Quote: I go into my library and all history unrolls before me. – Alexander Smith
Dec. 22
– birthdays: 1899 – Wiley Post (aviation pioneer) / 1912 – Lady Bird Johnson (First Lady 1963-69) / 1945 – Diane Sawyer (newscaster – 60 Minutes) / 1970 – Ted Cruz
Wiley Post – Library of Congress
– 1877 – Edison’s phonograph announced by Scientific American magazine
– 1882 – Edison invents the first string of Christmas tree lights
– 1984 – Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” goes #1 and stays there for six weeks
– 2010 – Obama repeals “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Quote: Unlike any other time in our history, we have to know that staying in school and getting an education is the most important thing you can do. – Alexis Herman
Dec. 23
– birthdays: 1805 – Joseph Smith (founder of the Mormons) / 1867 – Madame C.J. Walker (first self-made female black millionaire) / 1964 – Eddie Vedder (singer for Pearl Jam – biggest hit = “Last Kiss”)
– 1783 – Washington resigns as commander in chief
Washington resigns as Commander in Chief – Library of Congress
– 1913 – Wilson signs the Federal Reserve Act
– 1941 – Japanese capture Wake Island
Quote: There are so many times and places in history in our world that I just don’t know anything about, and when I learn about them they’re always fascinating.- Andrew Stanton
Dec. 24
– birthdays: 1809 – Kit Carson (frontiersman) / 1905 – Howard Hughes (billionaire) / 1971 – Ricky Martin (singer – biggest hit = “Livin’ La Vida Loca”) / 1923 – Stephanie Meyer (author – Twilight series)
– 1814 – Treaty of Ghent ends the War of 1812
painting of America and Britannia agreeing to peace – Library of Congress
– 1943 – FDR appoints Eisenhower Commander-in-Chief of American forces in Europe
– 1974 – former astronaut John Glenn becomes a Senator
– 1989 – Noreiga takes refuge in the Vatican embassy to escape American invaders
Quote: If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten. – Rudyard Kipling
Dec. 25
– birthdays: 1821 – Clara Barton (founder of the American Red Cross) / 1899 – Humphrey Bogart (actor – Casablanca) / 1918 – Anwar Sadat (leader of Egypt who signed the Camp David Accord) / 1924 – Rod Serling (host of The Twilight Zone) / 1946 – Jimmy Buffet (singer – “Margaritaville”) / 1949 – Sissy Spacek (actress – Coal Miner’s Daughter) / 1954 – Annie Lennox (rock singer for the Eurythmics – biggest hit = “Sweet Dreams”) / 1958 – Rickey Henderson (MLB record holder for career stolen bases) / 1971 – Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister of Canada)
– 1492 – Columbus’ Santa Maria runs aground and sinks
– 1776 – Washington crosses the Delaware to attack Trenton, New Jersey
Library of Congress
– 1868 – Pres. Andrew Jackson pardons all Southerners involved in the Civil War
– 1896 – John Philip Sousa writes “Stars and Stripes Forever”
– 1926 – Hirohito becomes Emperor of Japan
– 1962 – movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” is released
– 1971 – Jesse Jackson forms PUSH (People United to Save Humanity)
– 1991 – Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as President of the USSR
Quote: No matter who you are or what you look like, how you started off, or how and who you love, America is a place where you can write your own destiny. – Barack Obama
Dec. 26
– birthdays: 1837 – George Dewey (admiral who won the Battle of Manila Bay) / 1893 – Mao Zedong / 1894 – Jean Toomer (Harlem Renaissance author – Cane) / 1914 – Richard Widmark (actor – Madigan) / 1921 – Steve Allen (TV comedian – Steve Allen Show) / 1939 – Phil Specter (record producer) / 1947 – Carlton Fisk (Hall of Fame catcher) / 1954 – Ossie Smith (Hall of Fame shortstop) / 1971 – Jared Leto (actor – Dallas Buyers Club)
– 1492 – Columbus establishes the first European settlement in the New World
– 1776 – Battle of Trenton
Hessians surrender to Washington – Library of Congress
– 1919 – Boston trades Babe Ruth to the Yankees
– 1941 – Churchill become the first British Prime Minister to address Congress
– 1944 – Patton’s army fights to reach Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge
– 1963 – The Beatles release “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” in the U.S.
– 1966 – Jimi Hendrix writes “Purple Haze”
– 1991 – Jack Ruby’s gun sells for $220,000 at auction
Quote: The long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all and not just some. – Barack Obama
Dec. 27
– birthdays: 1901 – Marlene Dietrich (actress – Blue Angels)
– 1900 – Carrie Nation vandalizes her first saloon
Carrie Nation – Library of Congress
Quote: The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice; their choice! – Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dec. 28
– birthdays: 1856 – Woodrow Wilson (28th President 1913-21) / 1908 – Lew Ayres (actor – All Quiet on the Western Front) / 1922 – Stan Lee (comic book artist; leader of Marvel) / 1954 – Denzel Washington (actor – Training Day) / 1973 – Seth Meyers (talk show host) / 1978 – John Legend (singer/songwriter – biggest hit = “All of Me”)
– 1832 – John Calhoun becomes the first Vice President to resign
– 1860 – Harriet Tubman arrives in Auburn, NY after her last mission freeing slaves
Harriet Tubman – Library of Congress
– 1867 – the US claims Midway Island
– 1945 – Congress officially recognizes the Pledge of Allegiance
– 1968 – The Beatles’ White Album reaches #1 and stays 9 weeks
– 1973 – Nixon signs the Endangered Species Act
– 1975 – the original “Hail Mary” pass from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson of the Cowboys to beat the Vikings in a playoff game
– 1981 – birth of first test tube baby in US
– 1984 – soap opera “Edge of Night” ends 28 year run
Quote: History is moving, and it will tend toward hope, or tend toward tragedy. – George W. Bush
Dec. 29
– birthdays: 1800 – Charles Goodyear (inventor of vulcanized rubber) / 1808 – Andrew Johnson (17th President 1865-69) / 1879 – Billy Mitchell (Father of the U.S. Air Force) / 1936 – Mary Tyler Moore (actress – Mary Tyler Moore Show) / 1947 – Ted Danson (TV actor – Cheers) / 1963 – Sean Payton (football coach)
– 1812 – USS Constitution defeats the HMS Java in a battle of frigates in the War of 1812
U.S.S. Constitution vs. HMS Java – Library of Congress
– 1845 – Texas comes in as the 28th state
– 1848 – gas lights installed in the White House
– 1851 – first YMCA chapter opens in the U.S.
– 1890 – Wounded Knee Massacre
Library of Congress
– 1982 – Bear Bryant ends his coaching career with a record 323 wins
Quote: There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know. – Harry S. Truman
Dec. 30
– birthdays: 1884 – Hideki Tojo (leader of Japan in WWII) / 1914 – Bert Parks (host of Miss America pageant) / 1920 – Jack Lord (TV actor – Hawaii 5-0) / 1928 – Bo Diddley (early rock n’ roller) / 1935 – Sandy Koufax (Hall of Fame pitcher who threw four no-hitters) / 1945 – Davy Jones (singer for the Monkees – biggest hit = “Daydream Believer”) / 1963 – Mike Pompeo (Trump Secretary of State) / 1975 – Tiger Woods / 1984 – LeBron James
– 1835 – the Trail of Tears begins as Cherokee Indians in Georgia are forced to migrate to Oklahoma
Library of Congress
– 1922 – the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is founded
– 1924 – astronomer Edwin Hubble announces the existence of other galaxies
– 1963 – Let’s Make a Deal debuts
– 2008 – head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Broncos
– 2013 – head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Redskins
Quote: Nowhere is it ordained that history moves in a straight line. – Barack Obama
Dec. 31
– birthdays: 1491 – Jacques Cartier (French explorer who claimed Canada) / 1738 – Charles Cornwallis (British general who surrendered at Yorktown) / 1815 – George Meade (Union general who won the Battle of Gettysburg) / 1880 – George Marshall (Chief of Staff of the Army in WWII; Truman’s Secretary of State) / 1943 – John Denver (country music singer – biggest hit = “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”) / 1948 – Donna Summer (disco singer – biggest hit = “Hot Stuff”) / 1959 – Val Kilmer (actor – Top Gun) / 1965 – Nicholas Sparks (author – The Notebook)
– 1775 – American forces led by Benedict Arnold fail to capture Quebec
Benedict Arnold – Library of Congress
– 1862 – Pres. Lincoln allows West Virginia into the Union
– 1862 – ironclad Monitor sinks off the coast of North Carolina in a storm
– 1879 – Edison demonstrates his incandescent light for the public
– 1938 – first use of a breathalyzer (the drunkometer)
– 1945 – the charter of the United Nations is ratified
– 1955 – General Motors becomes the first corporation to make more than $1 billion in a year
– 1961 – The Beach Boys play their first concert under that name
– 1961 – the Marshall Plan comes to an end after distributing $12 billion
– 1966 – the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” hits #1 and stays seven weeks
– 1967 – Evel Knievel fails to jump the Caesar’s Palace fountain in Las Vegas breaking his pelvis, femur, hip, wrist, and both ankles
– 1970 – Congress authorizes dollar coin with Eisenhower on it
– 1990 – the Sci-Fi Channel debuts
– 1995 – Bill Watterson ends his “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strip
Quote: Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. – Robert F. Kennedy