On December 10.1799 ; France adopts the metre as its official unit of length. source
On December 10.1799 ; France adopts the metre as its official unit of length.
On December 10.1864 ; American Civil War: Sherman's March to the Sea: Major General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union Army troops reach the outer Confederate defenses of Savannah, Georgia. source
On December 10.1864 ; American Civil War: Sherman's March to the Sea: Major General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union Army troops reach the outer Confederate defenses of Savannah, Georgia.
On December 10.1869 ; The Kappa Sigma Fraternity is founded at the University of Virginia. source
On December 10.1869 ; The Kappa Sigma Fraternity is founded at the University of Virginia.
On December 10.1904 ; Pi Kappa Phi fraternity is founded at the College of Charleston. source
On December 10.1904 ; Pi Kappa Phi fraternity is founded at the College of Charleston.
On December 10.1949 ; Chinese Civil War: The People's Liberation Army begins its siege of Chengdu, the last Kuomintang-held city in mainland China, forcing President of the Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek and his government to retreat to Taiwan. source
On December 10.1949 ; Chinese Civil War: The People's Liberation Army begins its siege of Chengdu, the last Kuomintang-held city in mainland China, forcing President of the Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek and his government to retreat to Taiwan.
On December 11.1934 ; Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, takes his last drink and enters treatment for the last time. source
On December 11.1934 ; Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, takes his last drink and enters treatment for the last time.
On December 11.1962 ; Arthur Lucas, convicted of murder, is the last person to be executed in Canada. source
On December 11.1962 ; Arthur Lucas, convicted of murder, is the last person to be executed in Canada.
On December 11.1978 ; The Lufthansa heist is committed by a group led by Lucchese family associate Jimmy Burke. It was the largest cash robbery ever committed on American soil, at that time. source
On December 11.1978 ; The Lufthansa heist is committed by a group led by Lucchese family associate Jimmy Burke. It was the largest cash robbery ever committed on American soil, at that time.
On December 12.1901 ; Guglielmo Marconi receives the first transatlantic radio signal (the letter "S" [***] in Morse Code), at Signal Hill in St John's, Newfoundland. source
On December 12.1901 ; Guglielmo Marconi receives the first transatlantic radio signal (the letter "S" [***] in Morse Code), at Signal Hill in St John's, Newfoundland.
On December 12.1935 ; Lebensborn Project, a Nazi reproduction program, is founded by Heinrich Himmler. source
On December 12.1935 ; Lebensborn Project, a Nazi reproduction program, is founded by Heinrich Himmler.
The hole is circular in shape, over 300 m (984 ft) across and 108 m (354 ft) deep
On December 13.1758 ; The English transport ship Duke William sinks in the North Atlantic, killing over 360 people. source
On December 13.1758 ; The English transport ship Duke William sinks in the North Atlantic, killing over 360 people.
On December 13.1769 ; Dartmouth College is founded by the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, with a royal charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal governor John Wentworth. source
On December 13.1769 ; Dartmouth College is founded by the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, with a royal charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal governor John Wentworth.
On December 13.1867 ; A Fenian bomb explodes in Clerkenwell, London, killing six. source
On December 13.1867 ; A Fenian bomb explodes in Clerkenwell, London, killing six.
On December 13.1937 ; Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanking: The city of Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, falls to the Japanese. This is followed by the Nanking Massacre, in which Japan source
On December 13.1937 ; Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanking: The city of Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, falls to the Japanese. This is followed by the Nanking Massacre, in which Japan
On December 13.1968 ; Brazilian President Artur da Costa e Silva issues AI-5 (Institutional Act No. 5), enabling government by decree and suspending habeas corpus. source
On December 13.1968 ; Brazilian President Artur da Costa e Silva issues AI-5 (Institutional Act No. 5), enabling government by decree and suspending habeas corpus.
On December 13.1977 ; Air Indiana Flight 216 crashes near Evansville Regional Airport, killing 29, including the University of Evansville basketball team, support staff, and boosters of the team. source
On December 13.1977 ; Air Indiana Flight 216 crashes near Evansville Regional Airport, killing 29, including the University of Evansville basketball team, support staff, and boosters of the team.
On December 14.1907 ; The schooner Thomas W. Lawson runs aground and founders near the Hellweather's Reef within the Isles of Scilly in a gale. The pilot and 15 seamen die. source
On December 14.1907 ; The schooner Thomas W. Lawson runs aground and founders near the Hellweather's Reef within the Isles of Scilly in a gale. The pilot and 15 seamen die.
On December 14.1960 ; Convention against Discrimination in Education of UNESCO is adopted. source
On December 14.1960 ; Convention against Discrimination in Education of UNESCO is adopted.
On December 14.2004 ; The Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world, is formally inaugurated near Millau, France. source
On December 14.2004 ; The Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world, is formally inaugurated near Millau, France.
On December 15.1905 ; The Pushkin House is established in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to preserve the cultural heritage of Alexander Pushkin. source
On December 15.1905 ; The Pushkin House is established in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to preserve the cultural heritage of Alexander Pushkin.
On December 15.2001 ; The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 spent to stabilize it, without fixing its famous lean. source
On December 15.2001 ; The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 spent to stabilize it, without fixing its famous lean.
On December 15.2014 ; Man Haron Monis takes 18 hostages inside a café in Martin Place for 16 hours in Sydney. Monis and two hostages are killed when police raid the café the following morning. source
On December 15.2014 ; Man Haron Monis takes 18 hostages inside a café in Martin Place for 16 hours in Sydney. Monis and two hostages are killed when police raid the café the following morning.
On December 16.1689 ; Convention Parliament: The Declaration of Right is embodied in the Bill of Rights. source
On December 16.1689 ; Convention Parliament: The Declaration of Right is embodied in the Bill of Rights.
On December 16.1838 ; Great Trek: Battle of Blood River: Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius and Sarel Cilliers defeat Zulu impis, led by Dambuza (Nzobo) and Ndlela kaSompisi in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. source
On December 16.1838 ; Great Trek: Battle of Blood River: Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius and Sarel Cilliers defeat Zulu impis, led by Dambuza (Nzobo) and Ndlela kaSompisi in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
On December 16.1850 ; The Charlotte Jane and the Randolph bring the first of the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton, New Zealand. source
On December 16.1850 ; The Charlotte Jane and the Randolph bring the first of the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton, New Zealand.
On December 16.1907 ; The American Great White Fleet begins its circumnavigation of the world. source
On December 16.1907 ; The American Great White Fleet begins its circumnavigation of the world.
On December 16.1918 ; Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas declares the formation of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic; it is dissolved in 1919. source
On December 16.1918 ; Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas declares the formation of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic; it is dissolved in 1919.
On December 17.1790 ; Discovery of the Aztec calendar stone. source
On December 17.1790 ; Discovery of the Aztec calendar stone.
On December 17.1837 ; A fire in the Winter Palace of Saint Petersburg kills 30 guards. source
On December 17.1837 ; A fire in the Winter Palace of Saint Petersburg kills 30 guards.