This Day In History

December 25

Merry christmas from This Day in History, your online historical newspaper. We all know the most noteable event that happened on this day, but what else has happened and who was born?

Events

• 0001 – The first Christmas, according to calendar-maker Dionysus Exiguus.
• 1066 – William the Conqueror was crowned king of England.
• 1758 – Halley’s comet first sighted by Johann Georg Palitzsch during its return.

Birthdays

• 0004BC – Jesus of Nazareth - Religious leader and philosopher (date is not really known)
• 1642 – Sir Isaac Newton – Was born in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire,UK. He later became a physicist, mathematician and astronomer, he discovered the Laws of Motion and Gravity.
• 1899 – Humphrey Bogart – Was born in New York, he became an actor and starred in Casablanca.

December 24

Events

• 1964 – Shooting begins on “The Cage”, the pilot for Star Trek.
• 1966 - Luna 13 lands on Moon.
• 1968 – The Apollo 8 astronauts’ Christmas reading is from the Book of Genesis and is read while orbiting Moon.

Birthdays

• 1905 – Howard Hughes – The reclusive billionaire was born he became an inventor and owned Hughes Aircraft.
• 1922 – Ava Gardner – Was born in Grabtown, North Carolina she later became an actress and starred in On the Beach and Night of the Iguana.
• 1971 – Ricky Martin – Was born in Puerto Rico, and became a singer and actor.

December 22

Events

• 1882 – The first string of Christmas tree lights was created by Thomas Edison.
• 1965 – The UK sets the maximum speed at 70 MPH.
• 1984 – Madonna’s single “Like a Virgin” gets to number 1 and stays there for 6 weeks.

Birthdays

• 1808 – Thomas Cook – Was born in England, he later was to found the touring and holiday company.
• 1913 – Benjamin Britten – Was born in Suffolk, UK, and became famed as an opera composer.
• 1949 – Robin Gibb – Was born in Manchester, UK, famed for being the band the Bee Gees.