TODAY IN HISTORY: DECEMBER 1

 

December 1

800 – A council is convened in the Vatican, at which Charlemagne is to judge the accusations against Pope Leo III.

1420 – Henry V of England enters Paris alongside his father-in-law King Charles VI of France.

1577 – Courtiers Christopher Hatton and Thomas Heneage are knighted by Queen Elizabeth I of England.

1640 – End of the Iberian Union: Portugal acclaims as King João IV of Portugal, ending 59 years of personal union of the crowns of Portugal and Spain and the end of the rule of the Philippine Dynasty.

1662 – Diarist John Evelyn records skating on the frozen lake in St James's Park, London, watched by Charles II and Queen Catherine.

1768 – The former slave ship Fredensborg sinks off Tromøya in Norway.

1821 – José Núñez de Cáceres wins the independence of the Dominican Republic from Spain and names the new territory the Republic of Spanish Haiti.

1822 – Pedro I is crowned Emperor of Brazil.

1824 – United States presidential election: Since no candidate received a majority of the total electoral college votes in the election, the United States House of Representatives is given the task of deciding the winner in accordance with the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

1828 – Argentine general Juan Lavalle makes a coup against governor Manuel Dorrego, beginning the Decembrist revolution.

1834 – Slavery is abolished in the Cape Colony in accordance with the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.

1862 – In his State of the Union Address President Abraham Lincoln reaffirms the necessity of ending slavery as ordered ten weeks earlier in the Emancipation Proclamation.

1865 – Shaw University, the first historically black university in the southern United States, is founded in Raleigh, North Carolina.

1878 – President Rutherford B. Hayes gets the first telephone installed in the White House.

1900 – Nicaragua sells canal rights to U.S. for $5 million. The canal agreement fails in March 1901. Great Britain rejects amended treaty

1913 – The Buenos Aires Metro, the first underground railway system in the Southern Hemisphere and in Latin America, begins operation.

1913 – Crete, having obtained self rule from Turkey after the First Balkan War, is annexed by Greece.

1918 – Transylvania unites with Romania, following the incorporation of Bessarabia (March 27) and Bukovina (November 28) and thus concluding the Great Union.

1918 – Iceland becomes a sovereign state, yet remains a part of the Danish kingdom.

1918 – The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) is proclaimed.

1919 – Lady Astor becomes the first female Member of Parliament (MP) to take her seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. (She had been elected to that position on November 28.)

1924 – The National Hockey League's first United States-based franchise, the Boston Bruins, plays their first game in league play at home, at the still-extant Boston Arena indoor hockey facility.

1934 – Sergei Kirov is assassinated, paving way for the repressive Great Purge, and Vinnytsia massacre by General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin.

1939 – World War II: A day after the beginning of the Winter War in Finland, the Cajander III Cabinet resigns and is replaced by the Ryti I Cabinet, while the Finnish Parliament move from Helsinki to Kauhajoki to escape the Soviet airstrikes.

1941 – World War II: Emperor Hirohito of Japan gives his tacit approval to the decision of the imperial council to initiate war against the United States.

1941 – World War II: Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City and Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, signs Administrative Order 9, creating the Civil Air Patrol.

1952 – The New York Daily News reports the news of Christine Jorgensen, the first notable case of sex reassignment surgery.

1955 – American Civil Rights Movement: In Montgomery, Alabama, seamstress Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat to a white man and is arrested for violating the city's racial segregation laws, an incident which leads to that city's bus boycott.

1958 – The Central African Republic attains self-rule within the French Union.

1958 – The Our Lady of the Angels School fire in Chicago kills 92 children and three nuns.

1959 – Cold War: Opening date for signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which sets aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity on the continent.

1960 – Patrice Lumumba is arrested by Mobutu Sese Seko's men on the banks of the Sankuru River, for inciting the army to rebellion.

1963 – Nagaland, became the 16th state of India.

1964 – Vietnam War: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and his top-ranking advisers meet to discuss plans to bomb North Vietnam.

1969 – Vietnam War: The first draft lottery in the United States is held since World War II.

1971 – Cambodian Civil War: Khmer Rouge rebels intensify assaults on Cambodian government positions, forcing their retreat from Kompong Thmar and nearby Ba Ray.

1971 – Purge of Croatian Spring leaders starts in Yugoslavia at the meeting of the League of Communists at the Karađorđevo estate

1973 – Papua New Guinea gains self-government from Australia.

1974 – TWA Flight 514, a Boeing 727, crashes northwest of Dulles International Airport, killing all 92 people on board.

1974 – Northwest Airlines Flight 6231, another Boeing 727, crashes northwest of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

1981 – Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308, a McDonnell Douglas MD-80, crashes in Corsica, killing all 180 people on board.

1984 – NASA conducts the Controlled Impact Demonstration, wherein an airliner is deliberately crashed in order to test technologies and gather data to help improve survivability of crashes.

1988 – World AIDS Day is proclaimed worldwide by the UN member states.

1988 – Benazir Bhutto, is named as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first female leader to lead a muslim nation. 

1989 – Philippine coup attempt: The right-wing military rebel Reform the Armed Forces Movement attempts to oust Philippine President Corazon Aquino in a failed bloody coup d'état.

1989 – Cold War: East Germany's parliament abolishes the constitutional provision granting the Communist Party the leading role in the state.

1990 – Channel Tunnel sections started from the United Kingdom and France meet beneath the seabed.

1991 – Cold War: Ukrainian voters overwhelmingly approve a referendum for independence from the Soviet Union.

1997 – In the Indian state of Bihar, Ranvir Sena attacks the CPI (ML) Party Unity stronghold Lakshmanpur-Bathe, killing 63 lower caste people.

1997 – Heath High School shooting in West Paducah, Kentucky.

2000 – Vicente Fox Quesada is inaugurated as the president of Mexico, marking the first peaceful transfer of executive federal power to an opposing political party following a free and democratic election in Mexico's history.

2018 – The Oulu Police informed the public about the first offence of the much larger child sexual exploitation in Oulu, Finland.

2019 – Arsenal Women 11–1 Bristol City Women breaks the record for most goals scored in a FA Women's Super League match, with Vivianne Miedema involved in ten of the eleven Arsenal goals.

2020 – The Arecibo Telescope collapsed.

 

TODAY IN HISTORY: NOVEMBER 30

November 30

November 30th is the last day of the month, and also marks the end of another year's penultimate month. This date holds significance for various reasons, as it is observed as St. Andrew's Day in Scotland, a national holiday that honors the patron saint of the country. Additionally, November 30th holds historical significance in relation to world events, famous births and deaths, and significant moments in various fields. In this essay, we will explore some of these important aspects and shed light on the significance of November 30th.

One notable historical event that occurred on November 30th is the signing of the Adams-Onís Treaty in 1829. This treaty, also known as the Florida Purchase Treaty, was signed between the United States and Spain. It settled a long-standing dispute between the two countries over the boundary of Spanish Florida. As a result of the treaty, Spain ceded Florida to the United States, marking an essential territorial acquisition for the growing nation.

Another significant event that took place on November 30th is the launch of the world's first animal in space, a Rhesus monkey named Albert I, in 1948 by the United States. This marked a major milestone in space exploration, setting the stage for future human missions. It was a precursor to sending the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space on April 12, 1961.

In the realm of music, November 30th holds significance as the birthdate of several influential musicians. One such artist is Mark Tremonti, the lead guitarist of the American rock band Alter Bridge and former member of Creed. Tremonti is known for his virtuoso guitar skills and has made significant contributions to the world of modern rock music.

November 30th also holds significance in the literary world. British writer Jonathan Swift, best known for his classic novel 'Gulliver's Travels,' was born on this day in 1667. Swift's satirical work and keen wit have made him one of the most celebrated authors in English literature.

Unfortunately, November 30th is also marked with sorrow and tragedy, as many notable figures have passed away on this date. One such figure is Oscar Wilde, the renowned Irish poet and playwright. Wilde, known for his wit and literary genius, died on November 30th, 1900, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire artists and writers to this day.

On a more positive note, November 30th marks the anniversary of several significant milestones in sports history. In 1963, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants in an iconic match at Wrigley Field. This game, known as the \Fog Bowl,\ gained notoriety due to the heavy fog that blanketed the field, making visibility extremely challenging for players and officials.

In the field of science and technology, November 30th is also a date to remember. In 1940, RCA demonstrated the first working electronic television system in the United States. This breakthrough laid the foundation for the future of television broadcasting as we know it today, revolutionizing the way information and entertainment are delivered to audiences worldwide.

In conclusion, November 30th holds significant historical, cultural, and scientific importance. From the signing of treaties to major breakthroughs in space exploration and technological advancements, this date has witnessed pivotal moments that have shaped the world we live in. Additionally, it serves as a day to honor and remember the birth and death anniversaries of influential figures in various fields. Thus, November 30th serves as a reminder of the rich tapestry of human achievement and serves as a catalyst for inspiration and reflection.

Here are some more events from this day:

978 – Franco-German war of 978–980: Holy Roman Emperor Otto II lifts the siege of Paris and withdraws.

1707 – Queen Anne's War: The second Siege of Pensacola comes to end with the failure of the British Empire and their Creek allies to capture Pensacola, Spanish Florida.

1718 – Great Northern War: King Charles XII of Sweden dies during a siege of the fortress of Fredriksten in Norway.

1782 – American Revolutionary War: Treaty of Paris: In Paris, representatives from the United States and Great Britain sign preliminary peace articles (later formalized as the 1783 Treaty of Paris).

1786 – The Grand Duchy of Tuscany, under Pietro Leopoldo I, becomes the first modern state to abolish the death penalty (later commemorated as Cities for Life Day).

1803 – The Balmis Expedition starts in Spain with the aim of vaccinating millions against smallpox in Spanish America and Philippines.

1803 – In New Orleans, Spanish representatives officially transfer the Louisiana Territory to the French First Republic.

1853 – Crimean War: Battle of Sinop: The Imperial Russian Navy under Pavel Nakhimov destroys the Ottoman fleet under Osman Pasha at Sinop, a sea port in northern Turkey.

1864 – American Civil War: The Confederate Army of Tennessee suffers heavy losses in an attack on the Union Army of the Ohio in the Battle of Franklin.

1872 – The first-ever international football match takes place at Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow, between Scotland and England.

1916 – Costa Rica signs the Buenos Aires Convention, a copyright treaty.

1936 – In London, the Crystal Palace is destroyed by fire.

1939 – World War II: The Soviet Red Army crosses the Finnish border in several places and bomb Helsinki and several other Finnish cities, starting the Winter War.

1940 – World War II: Signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of 1940 between the Empire of Japan and the newly formed Wang Jingwei-led Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China. This treaty was considered so unfair to China that it was compared to the Twenty-One Demands.

1941 – The Holocaust: The SS-Einsatzgruppen round up 11,000 Jews from the Riga Ghetto and kill them in the Rumbula massacre.

1942 – World War II: Battle of Tassafaronga; A smaller squadron of Imperial Japanese Navy destroyers led by Raizō Tanaka defeats a U.S. Navy cruiser force under Carleton H. Wright.

1947 – Civil War in Mandatory Palestine begins, leading up to the creation of the State of Israel and the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

1953 – Edward Mutesa II, the kabaka (king) of Buganda is deposed and exiled to London by Sir Andrew Cohen, Governor of Uganda.

1954 – In Sylacauga, Alabama, United States, the Hodges meteorite crashes through a roof and hits a woman taking an afternoon nap; this is the only documented case in the Western Hemisphere of a human being hit by a rock from space.

1962 – Eastern Air Lines Flight 512 crashes at Idlewild Airport, killing 25 people.

1966 – Decolonization: Barbados becomes independent from the United Kingdom.

1967 – Decolonization: South Yemen becomes independent from the United Kingdom.

1967 – The Pakistan Peoples Party is founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who becomes its first chairman.

1967 – Pro-Soviet communists in the Philippines establish Malayang Pagkakaisa ng Kabataan Pilipino as its new youth wing.

1971 – Iran seizes the Greater and Lesser Tunbs from the Emirates of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.

1972 – Vietnam War: White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler tells the press that there will be no more public announcements concerning American troop withdrawals from Vietnam because troop levels are now down to 27,000.

1981 – Cold War: In Geneva, representatives from the United States and the Soviet Union begin to negotiate intermediate-range nuclear weapon reductions in Europe. (The meetings end inconclusively on December 17.)

1995 – Official end of Operation Desert Storm.

1995 – U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Northern Ireland and speaks in favor of the "Northern Ireland peace process" to a huge rally at Belfast City Hall; he calls IRA fighters "yesterday's men".

1999 – Exxon and Mobil sign a US$73.7 billion agreement to merge, thus creating ExxonMobil, the world's largest company.

1999 – In Seattle, United States, demonstrations against a World Trade Organization meeting by anti-globalization protesters catch police unprepared and force the cancellation of opening ceremonies.

1999 – British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems merge to form BAE Systems, Europe's largest defense contractor and the fourth largest aerospace firm in the world.

2000 – NASA launches STS-97, the 101st Space Shuttle mission.

2004 – Lion Air Flight 538 overshoots the runway while landing at Adisumarmo International Airport and crashes, killing 25 people.

2005 – John Sentamu becomes the first black archbishop in the Church of England with his enthronement as the 97th Archbishop of York.

2012 – An Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane belonging to Aéro-Service, crashes into houses near Maya-Maya Airport during a thunderstorm, killing at least 32 people.

2018 – A magnitude 7.1 earthquake with its epicenter only 24 km from Anchorage, Alaska causes significant property damage but no deaths.

2021 – Barbados becomes a republic.

2021 – A 15-year-old gunman murders four students and injures seven people, including a teacher, in a mass shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, Michigan.