1620

The Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. AI analysis

The Pilgrims' landing at Plymouth Rock marked the beginning of permanent English settlement in New England. It laid the foundation for the establishment of the Plymouth Colony, which became an important part of early American history, influencing religious freedom and governance. --AI Explanation

1832

The first railroad station in the United States opens in Baltimore. AI analysis

The opening of the first railroad station in Baltimore signified a major step forward in the development of transportation in the U.S. Railroads played a key role in the industrial revolution, boosting economic growth and enabling faster movement of goods and people. --AI Explanation

1861

The United States establishes a national banking system. AI analysis

The creation of the National Banking System aimed to stabilize the U.S. financial system, particularly during the Civil War. It was intended to create a uniform currency, regulate banking, and reduce state bank fraud, laying the groundwork for the modern banking system. --AI Explanation

1913

The Federal Reserve System is created in the United States. AI analysis

The Federal Reserve System was established to address the financial instability that led to frequent banking panics. It gave the U.S. government the power to regulate the money supply and respond to economic crises, making it a key institution in American monetary policy. --AI Explanation

1919

The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting alcohol, is ratified. AI analysis

The ratification of the 18th Amendment marked the beginning of Prohibition in the U.S., a nationwide ban on alcohol that lasted until 1933. While intended to curb social problems, Prohibition led to the rise of illegal alcohol production and distribution. --AI Explanation

1941

Japan attacks the Philippines, leading the U.S. to declare war. AI analysis

Japan’s attack on the Philippines, a U.S. territory at the time, forced the U.S. to formally enter World War II against Japan. The attack was part of a larger strategy to expand Japanese influence in Asia, leading to intense conflict in the Pacific theater of the war. --AI Explanation

1958

The United States launches its first satellite, Explorer 1, into space. AI analysis

Explorer 1 was the first successful U.S. satellite launch and marked a milestone in the Space Race. The satellite helped discover the Van Allen radiation belts, furthering scientific understanding of space and paving the way for future space exploration. --AI Explanation

1968

Apollo 8 is launched, becoming the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon. AI analysis

Apollo 8’s launch was a landmark achievement in space exploration, as it was the first time humans traveled beyond Earth’s orbit and orbited the Moon. The mission demonstrated U.S. space capabilities and set the stage for the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing. --AI Explanation

1970

The Soviet Union launches its first space station, Salyut 1. AI analysis

Salyut 1 was the first space station launched by the Soviet Union, marking a significant step in space exploration. Although the station was not a long-term success, it paved the way for future space stations, including the Mir and International Space Station. --AI Explanation

1988

Pan Am Flight 103 is bombed over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people. AI analysis

The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 was a terrorist attack carried out by Libyan agents, causing the deaths of 270 people. The event had significant diplomatic and legal repercussions, leading to a long investigation and eventual Libyan compensation for the victims' families. --AI Explanation

1991

The Soviet Union holds its final Supreme Soviet session, marking its formal dissolution. AI analysis

The final session of the Soviet Supreme Soviet marked the official dissolution of the Soviet Union, ending a decades-long superpower rivalry between the U.S. and USSR. It was a significant moment in the end of the Cold War and led to the emergence of 15 independent republics. --AI Explanation

1993

The Oslo Accords are signed, marking a significant step in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. AI analysis

The Oslo Accords were a historic set of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The accords represented the first time both parties formally recognized each other and outlined a path for peace negotiations. --AI Explanation

1999

The Philippines elects its first female president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. AI analysis

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s election as the Philippines' first female president marked a historic moment in the nation's political history. Her presidency focused on economic reforms, but it was also marked by controversies and political instability, which shaped her tenure. --AI Explanation

2001

The United Nations adopts a global treaty to combat terrorism. AI analysis

The UN’s adoption of the global terrorism treaty was a key moment in the international fight against terrorism following the September 11 attacks. It aimed to strengthen cooperation among nations in preventing and responding to terrorist acts and fostering a more unified global security approach. --AI Explanation

2003

Iraq is invaded by U.S.-led forces, starting the Iraq War. AI analysis

The invasion of Iraq by U.S.-led forces, based on the belief that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, led to the toppling of Hussein's regime. The war had long-term implications, including regional instability and a protracted insurgency, and led to significant political and humanitarian consequences. --AI Explanation

2010

WikiLeaks publishes classified U.S. diplomatic cables, sparking worldwide controversy. AI analysis

The release of classified U.S. diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks was a major breach of security, exposing sensitive information and embarrassing governments worldwide. It ignited debates about freedom of information, the role of whistleblowers, and the balance between security and transparency. --AI Explanation

2011

The United States formally ends its combat operations in Iraq. AI analysis

The formal end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq marked the conclusion of the U.S. military's direct involvement in the Iraq War. However, it also left behind a fragile political situation, which led to continued instability and the rise of insurgent groups like ISIS. --AI Explanation

2012

The discovery of the Higgs boson is announced by scientists at CERN. AI analysis

The announcement of the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN was a breakthrough in particle physics. The discovery confirmed the existence of the Higgs field, which gives particles mass, validating the Standard Model of particle physics and opening up new avenues of scientific inquiry. --AI Explanation

2016

The United Nations General Assembly elects a new Secretary-General, António Guterres. AI analysis

António Guterres' election as the UN Secretary-General marked the beginning of his leadership of the organization. Known for his background in diplomacy and humanitarian work, Guterres faced numerous global challenges, including conflict resolution, climate change, and human rights. --AI Explanation

2019

The United States House of Representatives votes to impeach President Donald Trump. AI analysis

The impeachment of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress was a historic event. While Trump was acquitted by the Senate, the impeachment process highlighted deep political divisions in the U.S. and became a significant moment in American politics. --AI Explanation

December 21 Birthdays
Events Birthdays Deaths

968

Minamoto no Yorinobu

Japanese samurai

(d. 1048)

1401

Masaccio

Italian painter

(d. 1428)

1468

William Conyers

1st Baron Conyers, English baron

(d. 1524)

1505

Thomas Wriothesley

1st Earl of Southampton, English politician

(d. 1550)

1538

Luigi d'Este

Catholic cardinal

(d. 1586)

1542

Thomas Allen

English mathematician and astrologer

(d. 1632)

1550

Man Singh I

Mughal noble

(d. 1614)

1596

Peter Mohyla

Ruthenian Orthodox metropolitan and saint

(d. 1646)

1603

Roger Williams

English minister, theologian, and politician, 9th President of the Colony of Rhode Island

(d. 1684)

1615

Benedict Arnold

Rhode Island colonial governor

(d. 1678)

1672

Benjamin Schmolck

German pastor and composer

(d. 1737)

1714

John Bradstreet

Canadian-English general

(d. 1774)

1728

Hermann Raupach

German harpsichord player and composer

(d. 1778)

1778

Anders Sandøe Ørsted

Danish jurist and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Denmark

(d. 1860)

1795

Jack Russell

English priest, hunter, and dog breeder

(d. 1883)

1795

Leopold von Ranke

German historian, author, and academic

(d. 1886)

1803

Achille Vianelli

Italian painter and academic

(d. 1894)

1804

Benjamin Disraeli

English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

(d. 1881)

1805

Thomas Graham

Scottish chemist and academic

(d. 1869)

1811

Archibald Tait

Scottish-English archbishop

(d. 1882)

1815

Thomas Couture

French painter and educator

(d. 1879)

1820

William H. Osborn

American businessman

(d. 1894)

1830

Bartolomé Masó

Cuban soldier and politician

(d. 1907)

1832

John H. Ketcham

American general and politician

(d. 1906)

1840

Ernest de Munck

Belgian cellist and compose

r

1840

Namık Kemal

Turkish journalist, playwright, and activist

(d. 1888)

1843

Thomas Bracken

Irish-New Zealander journalist, poet, and politician

(d. 1898)

1850

Zdeněk Fibich

Czech composer and poet

(d. 1900)

1851

Thomas Chipman McRae

American lawyer and politician, 26th Governor of Arkansas

(d. 1929)

1857

Joseph Carruthers

Australian politician, 16th Premier of New South Wales

(d. 1932)

1859

Gustave Kahn

French poet and critic

(d. 1936)

1866

Maud Gonne

Irish nationalist and political activist

(d. 1953)

1868

George W. Fuller

American chemist and engineer

(d. 1934)

1872

Trevor Kincaid

Canadian-American zoologist and academic

(d. 1970)

1872

Lorenzo Perosi

Italian priest and composer

(d. 1956)

1872

Albert Payson Terhune

American journalist and author

(d. 1942)

1876

Jack Lang

Australian lawyer and politician, 23rd Premier of New South Wales

(d. 1975)

1877

Jaan Sarv

Estonian mathematician and scholar

(d. 1954)

1878

Jan Łukasiewicz

Polish-Irish mathematician and philosopher

(d. 1956)

1884

María Cadilla

Puerto Rican writer, educator, women's rights activist

(d. 1951)

1885

Frank Patrick

Canadian ice hockey player and coach

(d. 1960)

1888

Jean Bouin

French runner and rugby player

(d. 1914)

1889

Sewall Wright

American geneticist and biologist

(d. 1988)

1890

Hermann Joseph Muller

American geneticist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate

(d. 1967)

1891

John William McCormack

American lawyer and politician, 53rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

(d. 1980)

1892

Walter Hagen

American golfer

(d. 1969)

1892

Rebecca West

English journalist and author

(d. 1983)

1896

Konstantin Rokossovsky

Marshal of the Soviet Union during World War II

(d. 1968)

1900

Luis Arturo González López

Guatemalan supreme court judge and briefly acting president

(d. 1965)

1905

Käte Fenchel

German mathematician

(d. 1983)

1905

Anthony Powell

English author

(d. 2000)

1909

Seichō Matsumoto

Japanese journalist and author

(d. 1992)

1911

Josh Gibson

American baseball player

(d. 1947)

1913

Arnold Friberg

American illustrator and painter

(d. 2010)

1914

Frank Fenner

Australian microbiologist and virologist

(d. 2010)

1917

Heinrich Böll

German novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate

(d. 1985)

1918

Donald Regan

American colonel and politician, 11th White House Chief of Staff

(d. 2003)

1918

Kurt Waldheim

Austrian colonel and politician; 9th President of Austria

(d. 2007)

1919

Doug Young

American voice actor

(d. 2018)

1920

Alicia Alonso

Cuban ballerina and choreographer, founded the Cuban National Ballet

(d. 2019)

1920

Adele Goldstine

American computer programmer

(d. 1964)

1922

Itubwa Amram

Nauruan pastor and politician

(d. 1989)

1922

Cécile DeWitt-Morette

French mathematician and physicist

(d. 2017)

1922

Paul Winchell

American actor, voice artist, and ventriloquist

(d. 2005)

1923

Wat Misaka

American basketball player

(d. 2019)

1926

Arnošt Lustig

Czech author and playwright

(d. 2011)

1926

Joe Paterno

American football player and coach

(d. 2012)

1930

Phil Roman

American animato

r

1932

U. R. Ananthamurthy

Indian author, poet, and critic

(d. 2014)

1932

Edward Hoagland

American author and criti

c

1933

Jackie Hendriks

Jamaican crickete

r

1933

Robert Worcester

American businessman and academic, founded MOR

I

1934

Giuseppina Leone

Italian sprinte

r

1934

Hanif Mohammad

Pakistani cricketer

(d. 2016)

1935

John G. Avildsen

American director, producer, and cinematographer

(d. 2017)

1935

Lorenzo Bandini

Italian racing driver

(d. 1967)

1935

Phil Donahue

American talk show host and produce

r

1935

Stela Popescu

Romanian actress

(d. 2017)

1935

Edward Schreyer

Canadian academic and politician, Governor General of Canad

a

1937

Jane Fonda

American actress and activis

t

1938

Larry Bryggman

American acto

r

1939

Lloyd Axworthy

Canadian academic and politician, 2nd Canadian Minister of Foreign Affair

s

1939

Wafic Saïd

Syrian-Saudi Arabian financier, businessman and philanthropis

t

1940

Frank Zappa

American singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer and producer

(d. 1993)

1942

Hu Jintao

Chinese engineer and politician, 5th Paramount leader of Chin

a

1942

Carla Thomas

American singe

r

1943

Albert Lee

English guitarist and songwrite

r

1943

Walter Spanghero

French rugby playe

r

1944

Michael Tilson Thomas

American pianist, composer, and conducto

r

1944

Zheng Xiaoyu

Chinese diplomat

(d. 2007)

1945

Doug Walters

Australian crickete

r

1946

Roy Karch

American director, producer, and screenwrite

r

1946

Carl Wilson

American singer-songwriter and guitarist

(d. 1998)

1947

Paco de Lucía

Spanish guitarist, songwriter, and producer

(d. 2014)

1948

Barry Gordon

American actor and voice artist; longest-serving president of the Screen Actors Guild

(1988–95)

1948

Samuel L. Jackson

American actor and produce

r

1948

Dave Kingman

American baseball playe

r

1949

Thomas Sankara

Burkinabé captain and politician, 5th President of Burkina Faso

(d. 1987)

1949

Nikolaos Sifounakis

Greek lawyer and politicia

n

1950

Jeffrey Katzenberg

American screenwriter and producer, co-founded DreamWorks Animatio

n

1950

Max Maven

American magician and mentalist

(d. 2022)

1950

Lillebjørn Nilsen

Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist

(d. 2024)

1951

Steve Perryman

English footballer and manage

r

1952

Joaquín Andújar

Dominican baseball player

(d. 2015)

1952

Dennis Boutsikaris

American acto

r

1952

Steve Furniss

American swimme

r

1953

András Schiff

Hungarian-English pianist and conducto

r

1953

Betty Wright

American singer-songwriter

(d. 2020)

1954

Chris Evert

American tennis player and coac

h

1955

Jane Kaczmarek

American actres

s

1955

Kazuyuki Sekiguchi

Japanese singer-songwriter and bass playe

r

1956

Dave Laut

American shot putter

(d. 2009)

1957

Ray Romano

American actor, producer, and screenwrite

r

1957

Tony Lewis

English singer and songwriter

(d. 2020)

1958

Tamara Bykova

Russian high jumpe

r

1959

Florence Griffith Joyner

American sprinter and actress

(d. 1998)

1959

Krishnamachari Srikkanth

Indian crickete

r

1960

Sherry Rehman

Pakistani journalist, politician, and diplomat, 25th Pakistan Ambassador to the United State

s

1961

Ryuji Sasai

Japanese bass player and compose

r

1963

Govinda

Indian actor, singer, and politicia

n

1964

Kunihiko Ikuhara

Japanese director and illustrato

r

1964

Joe Kocur

Canadian ice hockey player and coac

h

1965

Glenn Coleman

Australian rugby league playe

r

1965

Andy Dick

American actor and comedia

n

1965

Anke Engelke

Canadian-German actress, director, and screenwrite

r

1966

Michelle Hurd

American actres

s

1966

William Ruto

5th President of Keny

a

1966

Kiefer Sutherland

British-Canadian actor, director, and produce

r

1967

Terry Mills

American basketball player and coac

h

1967

Mikheil Saakashvili

Georgian lawyer and politician, 3rd President of Georgi

a

1969

Julie Delpy

French model, actress, director, and screenwrite

r

1969

Mihails Zemļinskis

Latvian footballer, coach, and manage

r

1971

Matthieu Chedid

French singer-songwriter and guitaris

t

1971

Natalie Grant

American singer-songwriter and autho

r

1972

Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy

Indian Politician, 17th Chief Minister of Andhra Prades

h

1973

Irakli Alasania

Georgian colonel and politician, Georgian Minister of Defens

e

1973

Matías Almeyda

Argentine footballer and manage

r

1974

Karrie Webb

Australian golfe

r

1975

Paloma Herrera

Argentine ballerin

a

1977

Buddy Carlyle

American baseball playe

r

1977

Corey Collymore

Barbadian crickete

r

1977

Leon MacDonald

New Zealand rugby playe

r

1977

Emmanuel Macron

French politician, 25th President of Franc

e

1977

Freddy Sanchez

American baseball playe

r

1978

Emiliano Brembilla

Italian swimme

r

1978

Charles Dera

American pornographic actor, dancer, model, and mixed martial arts fighte

r

1978

Shaun Morgan

South African musician, singer, and guitaris

t

1978

Rutina Wesley

American actres

s

1979

Steve Montador

Canadian ice hockey player

(d. 2015)

1981

Marta Fernández

Spanish basketball playe

r

1981

Cristian Zaccardo

Italian footballe

r

1982

Primo Colón

Puerto Rican wrestle

r

1982

Philip Humber

American baseball playe

r

1982

Tom Payne

English acto

r

1983

Taylor Teagarden

American baseball playe

r

1983

Steven Yeun

American acto

r

1985

Tom Sturridge

English acto

r

1987

Khris Davis

American baseball playe

r

1988

Danny Duffy

American baseball playe

r

1988

Perri Shakes-Drayton

English sprinter and hurdle

r

1989

Mark Ingram II

American football playe

r

1989

Tamannaah

Indian actres

s

1991

Nic Maddinson

Australian crickete

r

1991

Otis

American wrestle

r

1991

Riccardo Saponara

Italian footballe

r

1992

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

American football playe

r

1992

Jamie Oleksiak

Canadian ice hockey playe

r

1994

Luke Brooks

Australian rugby league playe

r

1996

Kaitlyn Dever

American actres

s

1997

Madelyn Cline

American actress and mode

l

1997

Charlie McAvoy

American ice hockey player

2002

Clara Tauson

Danish tennis playe

r

December 21 Deaths
Events Birthdays Deaths

AD 72

Thomas the Apostle

Roman martyr and saint

(b. 1 AD)

882

Hincmar

French archbishop and historian

(b. 806)

956

Sun Sheng

Chinese chancello

r

975

Al-Mu'izz

Fatimid caliph

(b. 932)

1001

Hugh of Tuscany

Italian margrave

(b. 950)

1215

Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-Walid

Dāʿī al-Muṭlaq of Tayyibi Isma'ilism

(b. c. 1128)

1308

Henry I

Landgrave of Hesse

(b. 1244)

1338

Thomas Hemenhale

bishop of Worceste

r

1362

Constantine III

king of Armenia

(b. 1313)

1375

Giovanni Boccaccio

Italian author and poet

(b. 1313)

1504

Berthold von Henneberg

German archbishop

(b. 1442)

1536

John Seymour

English courtier

(b. 1474)

1549

Marguerite de Navarre

queen of Henry II of Navarre

(b. 1492)

1581

Jean de la Cassière

51st Grandmaster of the Knights Hospitaller

(b. 1502)

1597

Peter Canisius

Dutch priest and saint

(b. 1521)

1608

William Davison

secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England

(b. c. 1541)

1610

Catherine Vasa

Swedish princess

(b. 1539)

1701

Sir Hugh Paterson

Baronet of Bannockburn

(b. 1659)

1807

John Newton

English soldier and minister

(b. 1725)

1824

James Parkinson

English physician and paleontologist

(b. 1755)

1869

Friedrich Ernst Scheller

German jurist and politician

(b. 1791)

1873

Francis Garnier

French admiral and explorer

(b. 1839)

1889

Friedrich August von Quenstedt

German geologist and palaeontologist

(b. 1809)

1920

Mohammed Abdullah Hassan

leader of the Dervish movement

(b. 1856)

1929

I. L. Patterson

American politician, 18th Governor of Oregon

(b. 1859)

1933

Knud Rasmussen

Greenlandic anthropologist and explorer

(b. 1879)

1935

Ted Birnie

English footballer and manager

(b. 1878)

1935

Kurt Tucholsky

German-Swedish journalist and author

(b. 1890)

1937

Violette Neatley Anderson

American judge

(b. 1882)

1937

Ted Healy

American comedian and actor

(b. 1896)

1937

Frank B. Kellogg

American lawyer and politician, 45th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate

(b. 1856)

1940

F. Scott Fitzgerald

American novelist and short story writer

(b. 1896)

1945

George S. Patton

American general

(b. 1885)

1948

Władysław Witwicki

Polish psychologist, philosopher, translator, historian

(of philosophy and art) and artist (b. 1878)

1952

Kenneth Edwards

American golfer

(b. 1886)

1953

Kaarlo Koskelo

Finnish-American wrestler and businessman

(b. 1888)

1957

Eric Coates

English viola player and composer

(b. 1886)

1958

H.B. Warner

English actor

(b. 1875)

1958

Lion Feuchtwanger

German-American author and playwright

(b. 1884)

1959

Rosanjin

Japanese calligrapher, engraver, and painter

(b. 1883)

1963

Jack Hobbs

English cricketer and journalist

(b. 1882)

1964

Carl Van Vechten

American author and photographer

(b. 1880)

1965

Claude Champagne

Canadian violinist, pianist, and composer

(b. 1891)

1968

Vittorio Pozzo

Italian footballer, coach, and manager

(b. 1886)

1974

Richard Long

American actor and director

(b. 1927)

1982

Abu Al-Asar Hafeez Jullundhri

Pakistani poet and composer

(b. 1900)

1983

Paul de Man

Belgian-born philosopher, literary critic and theorist

(b. 1919)

1988

Nikolaas Tinbergen

Dutch-English ethologist and ornithologist, Nobel Prize laureate

(b. 1907)

1992

Stella Adler

American actress and educator

(b. 1901)

1992

Albert King

American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

(b. 1924)

1992

Nathan Milstein

Russian-American violinist and composer

(b. 1903)

1998

Ernst-Günther Schenck

German colonel and physician

(b. 1904)

2004

Autar Singh Paintal

Indian physiologist and neurologist

(b. 1925)

2006

Saparmurat Niyazov

Turkmen engineer and politician, 1st President of Turkmenistan

(b. 1940)

2009

Edwin G. Krebs

American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

(b. 1918)

2009

Christos Lambrakis

Greek journalist and businessman

(b. 1934)

2010

Enzo Bearzot

Italian footballer and manager

(b. 1927)

2013

Edgar Bronfman Sr.

Canadian-American businessman and philanthropist

(b. 1929)

2013

John Eisenhower

American historian, general, and diplomat, 45th United States Ambassador to Belgium

(b. 1922)

2014

Udo Jürgens

Austrian-Swiss singer-songwriter and pianist

(b. 1934)

2014

Sitor Situmorang

Indonesian poet and author

(b. 1923)

2014

Billie Whitelaw

English actress

(b. 1932)

2017

Bruce McCandless II

US astronaut who conducted the first untethered spacewalk

(b. 1937)

2019

Andrew Clennel Palmer

British engineer

(b. 1938)