Today is Saturday, December 27, the 362nd day of 2008. There are four days left in the year.
1825 _ First public railroad using steam locomotive completed in England
1831 _ Darwin begins his voyage to South America on board the HMS Beagle
1923 _ Unsuccessful attempt on prince-regent Hirohito of Japan
1927 _ Stalin's faction wins All-Union Congress in USSR, Trotsky expelled
1934 _ Shah of Persia declares Persia now Iran
1942 _ First Japanese women camp (Ambarawa) goes into use
1945 _ International Monetary Fund established ― World Bank founded
1970 _ ``Hello, Dolly!" closes at St. James Theater NYC after 2,844 performances
1972 _ New North Korean constitution comes into effect
1978 _ King Juan Carlos ratifies Spain's first democratic constitution