First Transatlantic Radio Transmission
On December 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi successfully sent the first radio transmission across the Atlantic Ocean.
This Day in History
First Nobel Prizes are Awarded
As instructed by their benefactor, the first Nobel Prizes were awarded on December 10, 1901, on the fifth anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
13th Amendment Frees Slaves
Almost two years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th Amendment was passed, ending legal slavery in the United States. On December 6, Georgia became the 27th state to ratify the amendment, earning the three-fourths majority required for it to become law.
Illinois Becomes the 21st State
On December 3, 1818, President James Monroe signed legislation admitting the state of Illinois to the Union.
Confederates Burn Manhattan
On November 25, 1864, a group of Confederate operatives set several fires in New York City, as retaliation for damage done in the South by Union troops.
President Kennedy Killed
On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated while campaigning in Dallas, Texas.
Premiere of Steamboat Willie
On November 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse became a household name with the release of Steamboat Willie.
Literary Classic Moby-Dick Published
One of the greatest books in American literature, Moby-Dick, was first published in the US on November 14, 1851.
Death of Acclaimed Illustrator Norman Rockwell
On November 8, 1978, the world lost one of its most prolific artists – Norman Rockwell.