WEDNESDAY, Dec. 06, 2023

1196 — Northern Dutch coast flooded, "Saint-Nicolaas Flood"

1240 — Mongols under Batu Khan occupy & destroy Kiev

1492 — Haiti discovered by Columbus, at Môle Saint Nicolas

1534 — Quito, Ecuador founded by Spanish

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

1768 — First edition of "Encyclopedia Brittanica" published (Scotland)

1862 — President Lincoln orders hanging of 39 Santee Sioux Indians

1865 — 13th Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery

1866 — Chicago water supply tunnel 3,227 meters into Lake Michigan completed

1876 — First crematorium in U.S. begins operation, Washington PA

1877 — First sound recording made (Thomas Edison)

1912 — China votes for universal human rights

1917 — Finland declares independence from Russia (National Day)

1917 — French munitions ship "Mont Blanc" explodes in Halifax, kills 1,639+ and injures 9,000+

1921 — Anglo-Irish Treaty signed; Ireland receives dominion status; partition creates Northern Ireland

1929 — Turkey introduces female suffrage

1956 — Nelson Mandela & 156 others arrested for political activities in South Africa

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

1990 — Saddam anounces release of all foreign hostages

1994 — Orange County California files for bankruptcy