December 7
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
December 7 is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 24 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events[change | change source]
- 1724 – religious troubles were followed by the execution of nine Protestant citizens and the mayor of Thorn (Toruń) by Polish authorities.
- 1732 – The Royal Opera House opens in London.
- 1787 – Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the US Constitution.
- 1917 – World War I: The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary.
- 1941 – World War II: Canada declares war on Finland, Hungary, Romania, and Japan.
- 1941 – The Japanese attack the Hawaiian city of Pearl Harbor during World War II. 2,403 people are killed, 188 planes are destroyed, and 8 US ships are damaged or destroyed.
- 1949 – Chinese Civil War: The government of Republic of China moves from Nanking to Taipei.
- 1975 – Indonesia invades East Timor.
- 1988 – In Armenia an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale kills nearly 25,000, injures 15,000 and leaves 400,000 people homeless.
- 1988 – Yasser Arafat recognizes the right of Israel to exist.
- 1999 – The RIAA files a lawsuit against the Napster file-sharing client, on charges of copyright infringement.
- 2003 – The newly formed Conservative Party of Canada is officially recognised.
Births[change | change source]
- 1546 – Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, Consort of Mary, Queen of Scots (d. 1567)
- 1598 – Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Italian artist (d. 1680)
- 1637 – Bernardo Pasquini, Italian composer (d. 1710)
- 1801 – Johann Nestroy, Austrian dramatist and actor (d. 1862)
- 1810 – Theodor Schwann, German biologist (d. 1882)
- 1823 – Leopold Kronecker, German mathematician (d. 1891)
- 1860 – Joseph Cook, 6th Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1947)
- 1863 – Pietro Mascagni, Italian composer (d. 1945)
- 1891 – Fay Bainter, American actress (d. 1968)
- 1905 – Gerard Kuiper, Dutch astronomer (d. 1973)
- 1910 – Edmundo Ros, Trinidadian bandleader (d. 2011)
- 1915 – Eli Wallach, American actor
- 1920 – Manuel Pereira da Silva, Portuguese sculptor (d. 2003)
- 1924 – Mario Soares, former President of Portugal
- 1928 – Noam Chomsky, American linguist and political writer
- 1943 – Sue Johnston, British actress
- 1952 – Susan Collins, American senator
- 1956 – Larry Bird, American basketball player
- 1964 – Ilse Aigner, German politician
- 1972 – Hermann Maier, Austrian skier
- 1973 – Terrell Owens, American football player
- 1977 – Dominic Howard, English drummer (Muse)
- 1979 – Sara Bareilles, American singer
- 1980 – Clemens Fritz, German footballer
- 1980 – John Terry, English footballer
- 1984 – Robert Kubica, the first Polish Formula One racing driver
- 1987 – Aaron Carter, American singer
- 1990 – Urszula Radwanska, Polish tennis player
- 2003 – Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands
Deaths[change | change source]
- 43 BC – Cicero, Roman politician and writer (b. 106 BC)
- 983 – Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 955)
- 1817 – William Bligh, British naval officer and Governor of New South Wales (b. 1754)
- 1879 – Jon Sigurdsson, Icelandic independence campaigner (b. 1811)
- 1894 – Ferdinand de Lesseps, French diplomat and entrepreneur (b. 1805)
- 1947 – Nicholas Murray Butler, American philosopher, diplomat and educator (b. 1862)
- 1985 – Robert Graves, English poet (b. 1895)
- 1990 – Joan Bennett, American actress (b. 1910)
- 1993 – Felix Houphouet-Boigny, 1st President of Ivory Coast (b. 1905)
- 1993 – Wolfgang Paul, German physicist (b. 1913)
- 1997 – Billy Bremner, Scottish footballer (b. 1942)
- 1998 – Martin Rodbell, American scientist (b. 1925)
- 2011 – Harry Morgan, American actor (b. 1915)
Holidays and observances[change | change source]
- United States – Pearl Harbor Day
- Colombia – Día de las Velitas (Day of the Candles): Festivity
- India – The Armed Forces Flag Day
