EVENTS
- 1777 – City of San Jose Founded. The first city to be settled in California, San Jose was founded as San JosΓ© de Guadalupe. Before the Spanish settled in the city, the area was inhabitated by the Ohlone people. San Jose was the first capital of the state of California, which was established in 1850.
- 1864 – U.S. Army troops led by Colonel John Chivington attacked and killed at least 400 Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians at Sand Creek, Colorado after they had already surrendered.
- 1890 – The 1st Army-Navy football game is played.
- 1890 – The first Imperial Diet was opened in Japan, consisting of a House of Peers and a House of Representatives.
- 1899 – FC Barcelona founded. The popular football (soccer) club was founded by footballer Hans Gamper. Informally known as BarΓ§a, the club is thought to be one of the top 5 richest football clubs in the world. The club has won 4 European Cups (1978-79, 1981-82, 1988-89, 1996-97) and is a 5 time Champions League winner (1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15).
- 1929 – U.S. Admiral Richard Byrd becomes the first person to fly over the South Pole.
- 1929 – American explorer Richard Byrd and Bernt Balchen completed the first airplane flight to the South Pole.
- 1947 – Palestine was partitioned into Jewish and Arab land by the U.N. General Assembly, resulting in the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel the following year.
- 1951 – Silent Coup in Thailand. The Thai military took over the country’s governance and reinstated the 1932 Constitution.
- 1963 – U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson establishes the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
- 1972 – Atari Releases Pong. One of the very first arcade games to hit the market, Pong was a 1 or 2 player video game similar to tennis, where the goal is to use a paddle to hit a ball. Around 35000 Pong consoles were sold around the world.
- 1987 – Joe Montana of SF 49ers completes an NFL record 22 consecutive passes
- 1989 – Forty-one years of Communist rule came to an end in Czechoslovakia following a twelve day revolution sparked by the beating of protesters. The Czech parliament voted unanimously to repeal constitutional clauses granting the Communist Party sole power. This brought a wave of reform headed by playwright Vaclav Havel, who later became president in the first free elections since World War II.
BIRTHDAYS
- 1803 – Christian Doppler (Scientist)
- 1832 – Little Women author Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1835 – Empress Dowager Cixi of China
- 1876 – Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876-1977) was born in St Joseph, Missouri. She became America’s first female governor, finishing her husband’s term as governor of Wyoming after his death. She was elected governor in 1924, but lost the 1927 election. She also served as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee and was named director of the U.S. Mint by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.
- 1895 – Hollywood director Busby Berkeley (1895-1976) was born in Los Angeles (as William Berkeley Enos). After serving in World War I as an entertainment officer, he changed his name and began his show business career. Best known for lavish musicals including Forty-Second Street, Gold Diggers of 1933, Babes in Arms, Strike Up the Band, and Girl Crazy.
- 1898 – C.S. Lewis (Author – Chronicles of Narnia Series)
- 1918 – Madeline L’Engle (Auther – Wrinkle in Time)
- 1932 – Jacques Chirac (French politician, 22nd President of France)
- 1955 – Howie Mandel (Game show host)
- 1963 – Andrew McCarthy (Actor)
- 1964 – Don Cheadle (American actor, producer)
- 1969 – Mariano Rivera (Panamanian baseball player)
- 1972 – Jamal Mashburn (Basketball Player)
- 1976 – Anna Faris (Actress)
DEATHS
- 1632 – Frederick V, Elector Palatine (Bohemian king)
- 1682 – Prince Rupert of the Rhine.
- 1780 – Maria Theresa (Austrian wife of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor)
- 1975 – Graham Hill (English race car driver)
- 2001 – George Harrison (English singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer)