Abel Tasman is the first recorded European to sight New Zealand. Abel Tasman (1603–1659) was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his…
12 December 2000
The United States Supreme Court releases its decision in Bush v. Gore. The United States Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore, issued on December…
11 December 2005
Cronulla riots: Thousands of White Australians demonstrate against ethnic violence resulting in a riot against anyone thought to be Lebanese in Cronulla, New South Wales;…
10 December 1799
France adopts the metre as its official unit of length. The metric system is an internationally adopted decimal-based system of measurement used widely in science,…
9 December 1851
The first YMCA in North America is established in Montreal. The YMCA, or the Young Men’s Christian Association, is a global organization founded in 1844…
8 December 1980
John Lennon is murdered by Mark David Chapman in front of The Dakota in New York City. On December 8, 1980, John Lennon, a founding…
7 December 1703
The Great Storm of 1703, the greatest windstorm ever recorded in the southern part of Great Britain, makes landfall. Winds gust up to 120 mph,…
6 December 1967
Adrian Kantrowitz performs the first human heart transplant in the United States. A human heart transplant is a surgical procedure performed to replace a failing…
5 December 1848
In a message to the United States Congress, U.S. President James K. Polk confirms that large amounts of gold had been discovered in California. The…
4 December 1881
The first edition of the Los Angeles Times is published. The Los Angeles Times is a prominent American daily newspaper based in Los Angeles, California,…