The 17th of December, 1777, was a critical day in the history of the American Revolution and, thus, the history of the United States. On that day, the United States gained recognition for its rebellion and formalized the French alliance that aided its victory. Although Ben Franklin had been dazzling Parisians for about a year […]
Month: December 2019
Another Holocaust of World War 2
The Holocaust experienced by Jewish people during World War 2 remains one of the greatest tragedies in human history. The traditional estimate of the number of Jews murdered is six million people; recent research suggests the real number may be higher still. The murders of the Holocaust deserve the infamy and abhorrence they’ve received ever […]
John Lennon, Former Beatle, Killed in New York
For many music fans, it was the proverbial day the music died. On December 8 of 1980, Mark David Chapman shot and killed music superstar John Lennon near his Manhattan apartment. Struck by bullets in four places, Lennon died shortly afterward at age 40. My older readers need no explanation of who John Lennon was, […]
The 13th Amendment Becomes Part of the Constitution
December 7, 1941 may be a day that will live infamy, but December 6, 1865 will be a day that lives in glory in United States history. December 6 is the day that the 13th Amendment completed the ratification process to become part of the US Constitution. The 13th Amendment is one of the simplest […]
Enrico Fermi Sustains a Nuclear Reaction
December 2 of 1942 was a critical day in the history of the twentieth century. On that day, Italian scientist Enrico Fermi, working under the stands of Stagg Field in Chicago, achieved the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction in history. In an event fraught with meaning for the future safety of life on earth, Fermi created […]