TODAY’S HISTORY LESSON – DEC 16
1598 Seven Year War: Battle of Noryang Point – in the final battle of the war Korean navy decisively defeats the Japanese
1653 Oliver Cromwell takes on dictatorial powers with the title of “Lord Protector.”
1773 To protest the tax on tea from England, a group of young Americans, disguised as Indians, throw chests of tea from British ships in Boston Harbor.
1835 A fire in New York City destroys property estimated to be worth $20,000,000. It lasts two days, ravages 17 blocks, and destroys 674 buildings including the Stock Exchange, Merchants’ Exchange, Post Office, and the South Dutch Church.
1838 The Zulu chief Dingaan was defeated by a small force of Boers at Blood River celebrated in South Africa as ‘Dingaan’s Day’.
1897 1st submarine with an internal combustion engine demonstrated
1901 “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” by Beatrix Potter, was printed for the first time.
1905 “Variety”, covering all phases of show business, 1st published
1939 The National Women’s Party urges immediate congressional action on equal rights.
1950 U.S. President Truman proclaimed a national state of emergency in order to fight “Communist imperialism.”
1976 Government halts swine flu vaccination program following reports of paralysis
1978 Ronald Reagan denounces President Jimmy Carter’s recognition of China People’s Republic
1981 The U.S. Congress restored the $122 minimum monthly social security benefit for current recipients.
1983 Riverside CA judge denies cerebral palsy victim Elizabeth Bouviato request to starve herself to death in a county hospital
1988 Political cult leader Lyndon LaRouche convicted of tax, mail fraud
1996 Britain’s agriculture minister announced the slaughter of an additional 100,000 cows thought to be at risk of contracting BSE in an effort to persuade the EU to lift its ban on Britain.
1998 The United States launches a missile attack on Iraq for failing to comply with United Nations weapons inspectors.
2000 Researchers announced that information from NASA’s Galileo spacecraft indicated that Ganymede appeared to have a liquid saltwater ocean beneath a surface of solid ice. Ganymede, a moon of Jupiter, is the solar system’s largest moon. The discovery is considered important since water is a key ingredient for life.
2003 President George W. Bush signs the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, which establishes the United States’ first national standards regarding email and gives the Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce the act.
** history.net, onthisday.com, infoplease.com, timeanddate.com, thepeoplehistory.com, on-this-day.com **
