TODAY’S HISTORY LESSON – DEC 30
1460 Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield (Northern England), Duke of York killed and his forces soundly defeated by forces for King Henry VI
1803 The United States takes possession of the Louisiana area from France at New Orleans with a simple ceremony, the simultaneous lowering and raising of the national flags.
1817 1st coffee planted in Hawaii (Kona)
1835 After gold discovery in Georgia, Cherokees are forced to move across Mississippi River
1853 The United States bought some 45,000 sq mi of land from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase.
1861 Banks in the United States suspend the practice of redeeming paper money for metal currency, a practice that would continue until 1879.
1905 Governor Frank Steunenberg of Idaho is killed by an assassin’s bomb.
1906 The All India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India Empire, later laid down the foundations of Pakistan
1922 Soviet Russia is renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
1924 Astronomer Edwin Hubble formally announces existence of other galactic systems at meeting of the American Astronomical Society
1932 The Soviet Union bars food handouts for housewives under 36 years of age. They must now work to eat.
1940 California’s first freeway was officially opened. It was the Arroyo Seco Parkway connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena.
1953 The first color TV sets went on sale for about $1,175.
1959 The George Washington, 1st ballistic missile sub commissioned
1972 After two weeks of heavy bombing raids on North Vietnam, President Nixon halts the air offensive and agrees to resume peace negotiations with Hanoi representative Le Duc Tho.
1974 Beatles are legally disbanded (4 years after suit was brought)
1978 Ohio State University fired Woody Hayes as its football coach, one day after Hayes punched Clemson University player Charlie Bauman during the Gator Bowl. Bauman had intercepted an Ohio pass.
1993 Israel and the Vatican signed an agreement of mutual recognition to put an end to Jewish-Christian hostilities.
1996 A passenger train was bombed by Bodo separatists in India’s eastern state of Assam. At least 26 people were killed and dozens were seriously injured.
2006 Saddam Hussein, former Iraq dictator, is executed by hanging for crimes committed against his own people during his rule.
** history.net, onthisday.com, infoplease.com, timeanddate.com, thepeoplehistory.com, on-this-day.com **
