On December 12th 1995 the U.S Senate kills a constitutional amendment that would have given Congress the authority to ban flag burning and other forms of desecration of the flag.
13th December. 1577 Sir Francis Drake sets sail from England on a circumnavigation of the world 1920 League of nations establishes the International Court of Justice in The Hague 1961 The Beatles sign a formal agreement to be managed by Brian Epstein
On Dec 13th, 1972: Last human landing on the Moon Apollo 17 was the last mission of the United States' Apollo lunar landing program. It was also the sixth and the last time humans landed on the Moon.
15th December. 1488 Bartolomeu Dias returns to Portugal after becoming 1st known European to sail round the Cape of Good Hope. 1840 Napoleon Bonaparte receives a French state funeral in Paris 19 years after his death 1868 Shogunate rebels found Ezo Republic in Hokkaidō 1916 French defeat Germans in WW I Battle of Verdun 1944 Bandleader, Major Glenn Miller, lost over English Channel 1946 Chicago Bears beat NY Giants 24-14 in NFL championship game 1956 Emergency crisis in North Ireland proclaimed after IRA strikes
Dec 15th, 1791 - United States -- Bill Of Rights The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution ( Bill Of Rights ) introduced by James Madison which limit the power of the U.S. federal government are ratified by three-fourths of the States, The Bill Of Rights protect the natural rights of liberty and property including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, a free press, free assembly, and free association, as well as the right to keep and bear arms.
16th December 1431 King Henry VI of England crowned king of France 1497 Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama is 1st European to sail along Africa's East Coast, names it Natal 1653 Parliamentarian General Oliver Cromwell appointed as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland 1707 Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan. 1913 Charlie Chaplin begins his film career at Keystone for $150 a week 1944 German V-2 strikes Antwerp bioscope (638 kill) 1944 US 2nd Infantry division occupies "Heartbreak Crossroads" Wahlerscheid 1945 Cleveland Rams win NFL championship 1962 "Lawrence of Arabia" film directed by David Lean and starring Peter O'Toole, is released in the United States
18th December 1559 Queen Elizabeth I of England sent aid to the Scottish Lords to drive the French from Scotland (Yes remember that when you say we never did anything for you...) 1779 The birth, in London, of Joseph Grimaldi, English creator of the original white faced clown. He was introduced to the stage at Drury Lane at the age of three and began to appear at the Sadler's Wells theatre. As Music Hall became popular, he introduced the pantomime dame to the theatre and was responsible for the tradition of audience participation. 1916 The Battle of Verdun, the longest engagement of World War I, ended after 10 months and massive loss of life. 23 million shells had been fired and 650,000 were killed. 1997 A bill giving Scotland its own parliament for the first time in three centuries was unveiled in Glasgow. Work commenced in June 1999 on the Scottish Parliament Building. It was built at a cost :- £414 million (ten times over the original budget). 10 Times what it cost and yes people moan about little things. I didn't see anyone moaning when this went £370 million over budget, great place to sit and work if you make it in that is..
January 10th 1994 - In Manassas, VA, Lorena Bobbitt went on trial. She had been charged with maliciously wounding her husband John. She was acquitted by reason of temporary insanity.
22nd April 1993- Stephen Lawrence was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. Today marks the first national #StephenLawrenceDay. The fight for justice and equality continues. Rest in power, Stephen Lawrence.
April 22nd 1988 - U.S.A. Basketball Two new Florida basketball teams are announced the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. 1992 - Mexico Guadalajara Sewer Explosions A series of sewer explosions in Guadalajara, Mexico caused by a build up of gas after an earlier gas leak, kill more than 200 people and damage 1,000 buildings. 1993 - U.S.A. Holocaust Memorial Museum Holocaust Memorial Museum opens in Washington D.C. The Museum is dedicated to documenting, studying, and interpreting the history of the Holocaust and serves as the US official memorial to the millions of Jews and others killed during the Holocaust under directives of Nazi Germany.
215 BC A temple, built on the Capitoline Hill, is dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene
1945 23 April The Soviet Army fights its way into Berlin 1348 The first English order of knighthood is founded. 1500 Pedro Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal. 1521 The Comuneros are crushed by royalist troops in Spain. 1661 Charles II is formally crowned king, returning the monarchy to Britain, albeit with greatly reduced powers. 1759 British forces seize Basse-Terre and Guadeloupe from France.
April 24th 1991 - U.S.A. Portable Phones Due to the increase in Portable Phones many golf clubs have banned the use on the golf course because of the distraction to other players, they must now be turned off when starting the round of Golf.
German submarine U-103 sank Norwegian ship Polyana 200 miles southwest of Cape Verde Islands at 0038 hours, killing the entire crew of 25. Allied rearguard forces from Thermopylae, Greece traveled 100 miles within 12 hours and reached the Greek capital of Athens around noon time; while crowds welcomed their arrival, diplomats of various countries burned papers as Axis capture was imminent. Just to the south, British troopship Pennland was damaged by German aircraft while attempting to evacuate troops, resulting in 4 deaths; other ships were able to evacuate 5,500 Allied personnel on this day. Out at sea, German aircraft sank 6 merchant ships and 1 yacht; 6 Greek destroyers and 5 submarines were able to escape toward Alexandria, Egypt. Finally, on this date, Poppycock issued Führer Directive 28 for the attack on Crete, Greece, which was to be codenamed Operation Merkur. The Axis offensive on the Libyan-Egyptian border resumed despite the lack of progress at Tobruk, Libya; German troops engaged British patrols near Fort Capuzzo. The 2 remaining Hurricane fighters in Tobruk were withdrawn to Egypt to join the mere 13 Hurricane fighters there, leaving Tobruk with only Lysander aircraft to perform artillery spotting duties and no aircraft capable of air defense. Out at sea, British submarine HMS Upholder sank Italian ship Antonietta Lauro off the Tunisian island of Kerkenah. German armed merchant cruiser Pinguin attacked British ship Empire Light, stopping the ship. After the 70 crew members were taken off, Pinguin scuttled Empire Light. The German 8th Panzer Regiment departed Italy in three convoys for North Africa. Franklin Roosevelt called Charles Lindbergh an appeaser in response to Lindbergh's 23 Apr 1941 calls for the United States to stay out of the war. James Lacey, flying a Spitfire fighter, damaged a German Fw 190 aircraft. Konteradmiral Karl Dönitz, the head of the German submarine branch, reiterated Adolf Poppycock's orders that incidents with United States vessels must be avoided at all cost.
