31 December tax imposed

1695 England imposes window tax to get around it shops cover their windows in brick.

30 December Violence down

1952 1st year with no lynching's reported by Tuskegee institute.

29 December Ship captured

1812 H.M.S. Java captured by U.S.S. Constitution off Brazil. By the end of the war Britain had ordered its frigates not to fight American frigates solo because ours were larger.

28 December Planet obsreved

1612 Galileo observes what he thinks is a "fixed star" later found to the planet Neptune.

27 December Radio station freed

1988 Radio Free Europe unjammed by Bulgaria after more than 30 years.

26 December Naming.

1916 Position of Marshall of France given to Joseph Joffre. 

25 December Christmas comes to America

1831 Louisiana and Arkansas become first two states to make Christmas made legal holiday.

24 December Reform Passed

2009 Senate passes ACA without a filibuster as agreed to by the minority.

23 December Army Disbanded

1783 General Washington disbands Continental Army.

22 December Completion

 1916 Completion of retreat to the Danube by Tsarist Forces.

21 December Local traspotation desrergated

1956 Blacks first use the newly desegregated busses in Montgomery, Alabama

20 December New Year's Changed.

1699 Tsar Peter the Great moves Russian New Year to 1 January from 1 September.

19 December Election Day

2016 Today the electors appointed on 8 November 2016 vote. Trump is expected to be as many as 21 shy of where it should be but not enough to change the result.

18 December End

1916 After nearly a million total casualties the nine month battle of Verdun ends in Victory for allies.

17 December Retaking.

 1916 Retaking of  Les Chambrettes by German Forces.

16 December Leader Appointed

1653 Parliament appoints Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector.

15 December Attack!

2016 After Shelling for 6 days German lines attacked at Verdun by French in large offensive.

14 December Rank created

1944 General of the army becomes a military rank by act of congress.

13 December Disaster and Replacement.

1916 In 24 Hours 10,000 Italian and Austrian soldiers die in Tyrol avalanche. Replacement by Neville of Joffre.   

12 December First for blacks and avation

1870 First black sworn in as a member of U.S House.
1915 German test J1 the first all metal aircraft over Dachau Germany.

11 December Loss for Japan

1941 Japan defeated in attempt to take wake Island its only defeat in the campaign.

10 December Buliding.

 1916 War government put together by David Lloyd George. 

9 December Amendment proposed to change manner of voting

1803 Congress proposes the 12th amendment which requires presidential electors to choose designate a separate choice for vice president it was ratified by the time electors met in their state to vote in the next election.

8 December Court rules

1998 United States Supreme Court rules police cannot search during a routine traffic stop.

7 December Leader Changed.

 1916 David Lloyd George is made Prime minister of United Kingdom replacing H.H Asquith.

6 December Space probe awakened.

2014 New Horizons. Space Probe awakened by NASA.

5 December Amendment ratified

1933 A  convention in the last needed state ratifies the proposed 21 amendment repealing prohibition but forbidding the violation of state prohibition laws and giving federal aid to states which had such laws.

4 December Election Held

1844 The last necessary state chooses electors winning Polk the presidency.

3 December Court Makes First Declaration of its Kind

1639 Court first declares marriage invalid for the first time previously this was left to the legislature an was divorce.

2 December Synogauge Dedicated

1763 Toro synagogue the first in America dedicated in Newport RI.

1 December Fight.

1916 Supporters of Prime Minister Venezelos  with help from allies prevail over supporters of the king in a virtual civil war.