Today is Tuesday, December 6, the 340th day of 2011. There are 25 days left in the year.

1240 ― Mongols under Batu Khan occupy and destroy Kiev

1631 ― First predicted transit of Venus (Kepler) is observed

1768 ― First edition of ``Encyclopedia Brittanica" published (Scotland)

1846 ― The opera ``La Damnation de Faust" is produced (Paris)

1865 ― Thirteenth Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery

1877 ― Washington Post publishes first edition

1877 ― First sound recording made (Thomas Edison)

1933 ― Ban on James Joyce' ``Ulysses" in U.S. lifted

1985 ― U.K. joins U.S. Star Wars project

1995 ― Michael Jackson collapses while rehearsing for an HBO special