1642

Abel Tasman becomes the first European to sight New Zealand. AI analysis

Tasman's sighting of New Zealand marked the beginning of European exploration of the Pacific and contributed to global navigation routes, although it would take many years before the land was formally explored and settled. --AI Explanation

1773

The first recorded act of civil disobedience in the American colonies occurs with the Boston Tea Party. AI analysis

The Boston Tea Party was a pivotal event in the lead-up to the American Revolution. Colonists protested against British taxes by dumping tea into Boston Harbor, symbolizing resistance to British rule and rallying support for independence. --AI Explanation

1808

The Battle of Corunna during the Peninsular War takes place in Spain, with British forces fighting the French. AI analysis

The Battle of Corunna marked a tactical victory for the British under Sir John Moore, though Moore was killed. It was part of the larger conflict in the Napoleonic Wars, demonstrating the challenges of British military operations in Spain. --AI Explanation

1816

Indiana becomes the 19th U.S. state. AI analysis

Indiana’s statehood reflected the westward expansion of the United States, and its agricultural economy played a significant role in the country's economic growth during the 19th century. --AI Explanation

1847

The U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott capture Mexico City during the Mexican-American War. AI analysis

The capture of Mexico City effectively ended the Mexican-American War, leading to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which resulted in significant territorial gains for the United States. --AI Explanation

1862

The Battle of Fredericksburg begins during the American Civil War, with Union forces suffering a major defeat. AI analysis

The Union’s defeat at Fredericksburg was a significant setback in the Civil War, showcasing the strength of Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee and highlighting the challenges the Union faced in regaining the South. --AI Explanation

1903

The Wright brothers make their first powered flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. AI analysis

The Wright brothers' successful flight marked the birth of modern aviation, laying the foundation for technological advancements that would transform transportation, warfare, and global communication. --AI Explanation

1911

Roald Amundsen becomes the first person to reach the South Pole. AI analysis

Amundsen's achievement in Antarctica was a monumental moment in the Age of Exploration, beating Robert Scott’s British team to the South Pole and demonstrating the capabilities of modern scientific expeditions. --AI Explanation

1913

The Ford Motor Company introduces the moving assembly line for automobile manufacturing. AI analysis

The moving assembly line revolutionized industrial production by significantly reducing costs and time, making automobiles more affordable and accessible, and reshaping manufacturing industries worldwide. --AI Explanation

1918

The founding of the first National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) in Germany. AI analysis

The formation of the NSDAP, which would later become the Nazi Party, set the stage for Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. It reflected the political turmoil and extreme ideologies that would lead to World War II. --AI Explanation

1937

The Nanjing Massacre (also known as the Rape of Nanking) begins in China, with the Japanese Imperial Army committing atrocities. AI analysis

The Nanjing Massacre remains one of the darkest episodes in World War II, with widespread killings, rapes, and destruction carried out by Japanese forces. It left a lasting legacy of resentment and pain in Sino-Japanese relations. --AI Explanation

1941

The United States and the United Kingdom declare war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor. AI analysis

The U.S. and UK declarations of war against Japan marked their formal entry into World War II, significantly altering the course of the conflict and leading to a global Allied effort to defeat the Axis powers. --AI Explanation

1950

The People's Republic of China enters the Korean War, sending troops to support North Korea. AI analysis

China’s entry into the Korean War marked a turning point in the conflict, leading to a prolonged stalemate and drawing in superpowers, deepening Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet bloc. --AI Explanation

1967

The first successful heart transplant is performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in South Africa. AI analysis

Dr. Barnard's pioneering heart transplant in South Africa was a breakthrough in medical science, offering hope for patients with heart failure and opening the door to future organ transplant surgeries. --AI Explanation

1977

The U.S. and the Soviet Union sign the SALT II arms control agreement. AI analysis

The SALT II agreement aimed to limit the growth of nuclear weapons, reducing the risk of nuclear war during the height of the Cold War, although it was never fully ratified due to geopolitical tensions. --AI Explanation

1981

The United Nations adopts the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. AI analysis

The declaration reaffirmed the global commitment to combat racism and promote equality. It was a significant step in addressing racial injustice and promoting human rights worldwide. --AI Explanation

1992

The Maastricht Treaty is signed, establishing the European Union. AI analysis

The Maastricht Treaty laid the groundwork for a more politically integrated Europe, creating the European Union and paving the way for the introduction of the Euro currency. --AI Explanation

2000

The United States Supreme Court rules in Bush v. Gore, effectively ending the contested 2000 presidential election. AI analysis

The Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore resolved the disputed 2000 election in favor of George W. Bush, highlighting the pivotal role of the judiciary in American elections and raising concerns about the electoral process. --AI Explanation

2003

The United States captures former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. AI analysis

The capture of Saddam Hussein was a key moment in the Iraq War, signaling the end of his regime but also intensifying the ongoing conflict and insurgency in the country. --AI Explanation

2012

The United Nations adopts the International Day of Neutrality to promote peaceful diplomacy. AI analysis

The UN’s adoption of the International Day of Neutrality was aimed at promoting peace, encouraging nations to remain neutral in global conflicts and emphasizing the importance of diplomatic solutions to international disputes. --AI Explanation

December 13 Birthdays

1363

Jean Gerson

chancellor of the University of Paris

(d. 1429)

1476

Lucy Brocadelli

Dominican tertiary and stigmatic

(d. 1544)

1484

Paul Speratus

German Lutheran

(d. 1551)

1491

Martín de Azpilcueta

Spanish theologian and economist

(d. 1586)

1499

Justus Menius

German Lutheran pastor

(d. 1558)

1560

Maximilien de Béthune

Duke of Sully, 2nd Prime Minister of France

(d. 1641)

1585

William Drummond of Hawthornden

Scottish poet

(d. 1649)

1640

Robert Plot

English chemist and academic

(d. 1696)

1662

Francesco Bianchini

Italian astronomer and philosopher

(d. 1729)

1720

Carlo Gozzi

Italian playwright

(d. 1804)

1724

Franz Aepinus

German astronomer and philosopher

(d. 1802)

1769

James Scarlett Abinger

English judge

(d. 1844)

1780

Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner

German chemist, invented the Döbereiner's lamp

(d. 1849)

1797

Heinrich Heine

German journalist, poet, and critic

(d. 1856)

1804

Joseph Howe

Canadian journalist and politician, 5th Premier of Nova Scotia

(d. 1873)

1814

Ana Néri

Brazilian nurse and philanthropist

(d. 1880)

1816

Werner von Siemens

German engineer and businessman, founded Siemens

(d. 1892)

1818

Mary Todd Lincoln

16th First Lady of the United States

(d. 1882)

1830

Mathilde Fibiger

Danish feminist, novelist and telegraphist

(d. 1892)

1836

Franz von Lenbach

German painter and academic

(d. 1904)

1854

Herman Bavinck

Dutch philosopher, theologian, and academic

(d. 1921)

1856

Svetozar Boroević

Croatian-Austrian field marshal

(d. 1920)

1860

Lucien Guitry

French actor

(d. 1925)

1864

Emil Seidel

American woodcarver and politician, 36th Mayor of Milwaukee

(d. 1947)

1867

Kristian Birkeland

Norwegian physicist and author

(d. 1917)

1870

Edward LeSaint

American actor and director

(d. 1940)

1871

Emily Carr

Canadian painter and author

(d. 1945)

1874

Josef Lhévinne

Russian pianist and educator

(d. 1944)

1882

Jane Edna Hunter

African-American social worker

(d. 1971)

1883

Belle da Costa Greene

American librarian and bibliographer

(d. 1950)

1884

Aimilios Veakis

Greek actor, director, and playwright

(d. 1951)

1885

Annie Dale Biddle Andrews

American mathematician

(d. 1940)

1887

George Pólya

Hungarian-American mathematician and academic

(d. 1985)

1887

Alvin C. York

American colonel, Medal of Honor recipient

(d. 1964)

1895

Lucía Sánchez Saornil

Spanish anarchist feminist

(d. 1970)

1897

Albert Aalbers

Dutch architect, designed the Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel

(d. 1961)

1897

Drew Pearson

American journalist and author

(d. 1969)

1900

Jonel Perlea

Romanian-American conductor and educator

(d. 1970)

1901

Olev Roomet

Estonian singer, violinist, and bagpipe player

(d. 1987)

1902

Panagiotis Kanellopoulos

Greek philosopher and politician, 138th Prime Minister of Greece

(d. 1986)

1902

Talcott Parsons

American sociologist and academic

(d. 1979)

1903

Ella Baker

American activist

(d. 1986)

1903

Carlos Montoya

Spanish guitarist and composer

(d. 1993)

1905

Ann Barzel

American writer and dance critic

(d. 2007)

1906

Laurens van der Post

South African-English soldier and author

(d. 1996)

1908

Elizabeth Alexander

English geologist, academic, and physicist

(d. 1958)

1908

Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

Brazilian historian and activist

(d. 1995)

1908

Van Heflin

American film actor

(d. 1971)

1911

Trygve Haavelmo

Norwegian economist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate

(d. 1999)

1911

Kenneth Patchen

American poet and painter

(d. 1972)

1912

Luiz Gonzaga

Brazilian singer-songwriter and accordion player

(d. 1989)

1913

Archie Moore

American boxer and actor

(d. 1998)

1914

Alan Bullock

English historian and author

(d. 2004)

1914

Larry Noble

English comedian and actor

(d. 1993)

1915

B. J. Vorster

South African lawyer and politician, 4th State President of South Africa

(d. 1983)

1916

Leonard Weisgard

American author and illustrator

(d. 2000)

1919

Hans-Joachim Marseille

German captain and pilot

(d. 1942)

1920

George P. Shultz

American economist and politician, 60th United States Secretary of State

(d. 2021)

1921

Turgut Demirağ

Turkish film producer, director and screenwriter

(d. 1987)

1923

Philip Warren Anderson

American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

(d. 2020)

1923

Larry Doby

American baseball player

(d. 2003)

1925

Dick Van Dyke

American actor, singer, and dance

r

1927

James Wright

American poet and academic

(d. 1980)

1928

Solomon Feferman

American philosopher and mathematician

(d. 2016)

1929

Christopher Plummer

Canadian actor and producer

(d. 2021)

1933

Paul Bracq

French automotive designe

r

1934

Richard D. Zanuck

American film producer

(d. 2012)

1935

Türkan Saylan

Turkish physician and academic

(d. 2009)

1936

Prince Karim al-Husayn Shāh

Aga Khan IV, Swiss humanitarian and religious leade

r

1938

Gus Johnson

American basketball player

(d. 1987)

1940

Sanjaya Lall

Indian economist and academic

(d. 2005)

1942

Howard Brenton

English playwright and screenwrite

r

1942

Ferguson Jenkins

Canadian baseball playe

r

1945

Herman Cain

American businessman, politician, and activist

(d. 2020)

1948

Jeff Baxter

American guitarist, songwriter, and produce

r

1948

Lillian Board

British athlete

(d. 1970)

1948

Ted Nugent

American musicia

n

1950

Wendie Malick

American actres

s

1952

Muhsin Kenon

American basketball playe

r

1953

Ben Bernanke

American economis

t

1953

Bob Gainey

Canadian ice hockey playe

r

1956

Phil Hubbard

American basketball player and coac

h

1957

Steve Buscemi

American actor and directo

r

1957

Morris Day

American musician and acto

r

1959

Johnny Whitaker

American acto

r

1960

Richard Dent

American football playe

r

1961

Gary Zimmerman

American football playe

r

1962

Rex Ryan

American football coach and analys

t

1964

Krišjānis Kariņš

American-Latvian politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Latvi

a

1965

Petra Wimmer

Austrian politicia

n

1967

Jamie Foxx

American actor, singer, songwriter, producer, and comedia

n

1969

Sergei Fedorov

Russian ice hockey player and coac

h

1971

Scott Sattler

Australian rugby league playe

r

1972

Matti Kärki

Swedish heavy metal singe

r

1975

Tom DeLonge

American singer-songwriter, guitarist, author, and filmmake

r

1975

James Kyson

American acto

r

1975

Matthew LeCroy

American baseball player and manage

r

1978

Cameron Douglas

American acto

r

1981

Amy Lee

American singer, songwriter and pianis

t

1982

Dan Hamhuis

Canadian ice hockey playe

r

1982

Ricky Nolasco

American baseball playe

r

1983

Laura Hodges

Australian basketball playe

r

1984

Santi Cazorla

Spanish footballe

r

1984

Hanna-Maria Seppälä

Finnish freestyle swimme

r

1988

Rickie Fowler

American golfe

r

1989

Hellen Obiri

Kenyan runne

r

1989

Katherine Schwarzenegger

American autho

r

1989

Taylor Swift

American singer-songwrite

r

1990

Fletcher Cox

American football playe

r

1990

Joseph Garrett

English YouTuber, actor, and autho

r

1990

Arantxa Rus

Dutch tennis playe

r

1991

Dave Leduc

Canadian martial artis

t

1991

Vladimir Tarasenko

Russian ice hockey playe

r

1993

Danielle Collins

American tennis playe

r

1993

Jamal Fogarty

Australian rugby league playe

r

1995

Emma Corrin

English acto

r

1996

Gleyber Torres

Venezuelan baseball playe

r

1999

Marina Bassols Ribera

Spanish tennis playe

r

2000

Simona Waltert

Swiss tennis playe

r

2001

Jayden Goodwin

Australian crickete

r

December 13 Deaths

558

Childebert I

Frankish king

(b. 496)

769

Du Hongjian

Chinese politician

(b. 709)

859

Angilbert II

archbishop of Mila

n

1126

Henry IX

Duke of Bavaria

(b. 1075)

1204

Maimonides

Spanish rabbi and philosopher

(b. 1135)

1250

Frederick II

Holy Roman Emperor

(b. 1194)

1272

Bertold of Regensburg

German preache

r

1404

Albert I

Duke of Bavaria

(b. 1336)

1466

Donatello

Italian painter and sculptor

(b. 1386)

1516

Johannes Trithemius

German cryptographer and historian

(b. 1462)

1557

Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia

Italian mathematician and engineer

(b. 1499)

1565

Conrad Gessner

Swiss botanist and physician

(b. 1516)

1621

Katarina Stenbock

queen of Gustav I of Sweden

(b. 1535)

1671

Antonio Grassi

Italian Roman Catholic priest

(b. 1592)

1716

Charles de La Fosse

French painter

(b. 1640)

1721

Alexander Selkirk

Scottish sailor

(b. 1676)

1729

Anthony Collins

English philosopher and author

(b. 1676)

1754

Mahmud I

Ottoman sultan

(b. 1696)

1758

Noël Doiron

Canadian Acadia leader

(b. 1684)

1769

Christian Fürchtegott Gellert

German poet and hymn-writer

(b. 1715)

1783

Pehr Wilhelm Wargentin

Swedish astronomer and demographer

(b. 1717)

1784

Samuel Johnson

English poet and lexicographer

(b. 1709)

1814

Charles-Joseph

7th Prince of Ligne, Belgian-Austrian field marshal

(b. 1735)

1849

Johann Centurius Hoffmannsegg

German botanist and entomologist

(b. 1766)

1862

Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb

American general, lawyer, and politician

(b. 1823)

1863

Christian Friedrich Hebbel

German poet and playwright

(b. 1813)

1868

Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius

German botanist and explorer

(b. 1794)

1881

August Šenoa

Croatian author and poet

(b. 1838)

1883

Victor de Laprade

French poet and critic

(b. 1812)

1893

Georg August Rudolph

German lawyer and politician, 3rd Mayor of Marburg

(b. 1816)

1895

Ányos Jedlik

Hungarian physicist and engineer

(b. 1800)

1908

Augustus Le Plongeon

French photographer and historian

(b. 1825)

1911

Reggie Duff

Australian cricketer

(b. 1878)

1919

Woldemar Voigt

German physicist and academic

(b. 1850)

1922

Arthur Wesley Dow

American painter and photographer

(b. 1857)

1922

Hannes Hafstein

Icelandic poet and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Iceland

(b. 1861)

1924

Samuel Gompers

English-born American labor leader, founded the American Federation of Labor

(b. 1850)

1927

Mehmet Nadir

Turkish mathematician and academic

(b. 1856)

1929

Rosina Heikel

Finnish physician

(b. 1842)

1930

Fritz Pregl

Slovenian-Austrian chemist and physician, Nobel Prize laureate

(b. 1869)

1931

Gustave Le Bon

French psychologist, sociologist, and anthropologist

(b. 1840)

1932

Georgios Jakobides

Greek painter and sculptor

(b. 1853)

1935

Victor Grignard

French chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

(b. 1871)

1942

Wlodimir Ledóchowski

Austrian-Polish religious leader, 26th Superior-General of the Society of Jesus

(b. 1866)

1942

Robert Robinson Taylor

American architect

(b. 1868)

1944

Wassily Kandinsky

Russian-French painter and theorist

(b. 1866)

1945

Irma Grese

German concentration camp guard

(b. 1923)

1945

Josef Kramer

German concentration camp commandant

(b. 1906)

1945

Elisabeth Volkenrath

Polish-German concentration camp supervisor

(b. 1919)

1947

Henry James

American lawyer and author

(b. 1879)

1947

Nicholas Roerich

Russian archaeologist, painter, and philosopher

(b. 1874)

1950

Abraham Wald

Hungarian mathematician and academic

(b. 1902)

1954

John Raymond Hubbell

American director and composer

(b. 1879)

1955

Egas Moniz

Portuguese psychiatrist and neurosurgeon, Nobel Prize laureate

(b. 1874)

1960

Dora Marsden

English author and activist

(b. 1882)

1961

Grandma Moses

American painter

(b. 1860)

1962

Harry Barris

American singer-songwriter and pianist

(b. 1905)

1969

Raymond A. Spruance

American admiral and diplomat, United States Ambassador to the Philippines

(b. 1886)

1973

Henry Green

English author

(b. 1905)

1974

Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoglu

Egyptian-Turkish journalist, author, and politician

(b. 1889)

1975

Cyril Delevanti

English-American actor

(b. 1889)

1975

Addie Viola Smith

American lawyer and trade commissioner

(b. 1893)

1977

Oguz Atay

Turkish engineer and author

(b. 1934)

1979

Jon Hall

American actor and director

(b. 1915)

1979

Behçet Necatigil

Turkish author, poet and translator

(b. 1916)

1983

Alexander Schmemann

Estonian-American priest and theologian

(b. 1921)

1983

Nichita Stănescu

Romanian poet and critic

(b. 1933)

1986

Heather Angel

British-American actress

(b. 1909)

1986

Ella Baker

American activist

(b. 1903)

1986

Smita Patil

Indian actress and journalist

(b. 1955)

1992

K. C. Irving

Canadian businessman

(b. 1899)

1992

Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney

American businessman and philanthropist

(b. 1899)

1993

Vanessa Duriès

French author

(b. 1972)

1995

Ann Nolan Clark

American author and educator

(b. 1896)

1996

Edward Blishen

English author and educator

(b. 1920)

1997

Don E. Fehrenbacher

American historian, author, and academic

(b. 1920)

1998

Lew Grade

Ukrainian-born British impresario and media proprietor

(b. 1906)

1998

Richard Thomas

Royal Naval Officer

(b. 1922)

1998

Wade Watts

civil rights activist

(b. 1919)

2002

Zal Yanovsky

Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who founded The Lovin' Spoonful

(b. 1944)

2004

David Wheeler

English computer scientist and academic

(b. 1927)

2005

Alan Shields

American painter and ferryboat captain

(b. 1944)

2006

Lamar Hunt

American businessman, co-founded the American Football League and World Championship Tennis

(b. 1932)

2016

Alan Thicke

Canadian actor, songwriter, game and talk-show host

(b. 1947)

2018

Noah Klieger

Holocaust survivor who became an award-winning Israeli journalist

(b. 1926)

2022

Stephen "tWitch" Boss

American dancer and media personality

(b. 1982)