1621 — English parliament accept unanimously, Protestation
1777 — First national Thanksgiving Day, commemorating Burgoyne's surrender
1783 — English king George III fires government of Portland
1787 — New Jersey becomes third state to ratify constitution
1796 — First U.S. newspaper to appear on Sunday (Baltimore Monitor)
1849 — William Bond obtains first photograph of Moon through a telescope
1859 — South Carolina declared an "independent commonwealth"
1917 — Soviet regiment (Stalin/Lenin) declares Finland Independent
1936 — Su-Lin, first giant panda to come to U.S. from China, arrives in San Francisco
1941 — Japanse troops land on Hong Kong
1945 — Uruguay joins the United Nations
1956 — Japan admitted to the United Nations
1958 — Niger gains autonomy within French Community (National Day)
1961 — India annexes Portuguese colonies of Goa, Damao & Diu
1969 — Britain abolishes death penalty
1971 — First Candlelight Processional
1980 — Vietnam adopts constitution
1985 — U.N. Security Council unanimously condemns "acts of hostage-taking"
1996 — TV industry executives agree to adopt a ratings system