THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016

Today is Thursday, December 1, the 336th day of 2016. There are 30 days left in the year.

1626 — Pasha Muhammad ibn Farukh tyrannical Governor of Jerusalem, driven out

1640 — Portugal regains independence after 60 years of Spanish rule

1641 — Massachusetts becomes 1st colony to give statutory recognition to slavery

1653 — An athlete from Croydon is reported to have run 20 miles from St Albans to London in less than 90 minutes

1656 — Germany promises Poland aid against Sweden

1708 — Great Alliance occupies Brussels

1742 — Empress Elisabeth orders expulsion of all Jews from Russia

1750 — First American school to offer manual training courses opens, Maryland

1783 — J van North launches unmanned balloon