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December
in History
Christmas
– In December?
Christians
in Rome began celebrating the birth of Jesus in December during
the fourth century. The Church of Rome began to encourage the
tradition to compete against the pagan celebration of Saturn.
By 350 A.D., Bishop Julius I declared December 25th
as the day to celebrate Christ’s birth. The real month of his
birth remains unknown.
60th
Anniversary of Infamy
On
December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing
the United States into World War II. Germany’s Dictator, Adolf
Hitler, declared war on the United States four days later.
Firsts
In
1901 (on December 1) the first radio signal was sent across the
Atlantic Ocean.
In
1903 (on December 17) Orville Wright made the first successful
airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
In
1942 (on December 2) scientists in Chicago produced the first
atomic chain reaction.
World
History
In
1492 (on December 6) Christopher Columbus discovered Hispaniola.
In
1917 (on December 9) the British captured Jerusalem from the Turks.
In
1991 (on December 25) the Soviet Union ceased to exist.
American
History
In
1620 (on December 20) the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
In
1776 (on December 25) George Washington led his troops across
the Delaware River to fight the Battle of Trenton. Washington’s
Army defeated German troops (Hessians) allied with the British.
In
1791 (on December 15) the Bill of Rights was ratified.
In
1941 (on December 23) U.S. forces surrendered Wake Island to the
Japanese after 11 days of intense resistance.
In
1998 (on December 19) the House of Representatives voted to impeach
President Clinton.
Education Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001. Tel:
(212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919. Email: ednews1@aol.com.
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