December 8
Appearance
December 8is the 342nd day of the year (343rd inleap years) in theGregorian calendar.There are 23 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events[change|change source]
Up to 1975[change|change source]
- 395-China:Later Yanis defeated by its formervassalofNorthern Weiat theBattle of Canhe Slope.
- 757-China:Du Fureturns toChang'anas a member ofEmperor Xuanzong of Tang's court, after having escaped the city during the An Lushan Rebellion.
- 1432- First battle of theLithuanian Civil War.
- 1626-Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperoris crownedKingofHungary.
- 1660– A woman appears on an English public stage for the first time, as Desdemona, in a production ofWilliam Shakespeare'sOthello.
- 1792–Frankfortbecomes the capital city ofKentucky.
- 1813-Ludwig van Beethoven'sSeventh Symphonyis performed for the first time.
- 1864– TheClifton Suspension BridgeinEngland,designed byIsambard Kingdom Brunel,is opened.
- 1907–Gustav VbecomesKingofSweden.
- 1912- Leaders of theGerman Empirehold an Imperial War Council to discuss the possibility ofwarbreaking out.
- 1914-World War I:A squadron of theUK'sRoyal Navydefeats a weaker squadron of the German High Seas Fleet in theBattle of the Falkland Islandsin the SouthAtlantic Ocean.
- 1922-Northern Irelandstops being part of theIrish Free State.
- 1941–World War II:JapaninvadesMalaya,Thailand,Hong Kongand thePhilippines,just after thePearl Harborattack. On the same day, theUnited Statesand theRepublic of Chinadeclare war onJapan.
- 1953–Dwight D. Eisenhowerannounces the start of the American 'Atoms for Peace' program.
- 1956- The1956 Summer OlympicsinMelbourne,Australia,end.
- 1962- Workers at fourUSnewspapers(later nine) go on strike for 114 days.
- 1963–PanAmFlight 214, aBoeing 707,is struck bylightninginMaryland,killing all 81 people on board.
- 1966– TheshipSSHeraklionsinks in astormin theAegean Sea,killing over 200 people.
- 1969- An Olympic Airways Douglas DC-6 hits amountainoutside of Keratea,Greece,killing 90.
- 1971–Indo-Pakistani War:TheIndianNavylaunches an attack on thePakistanicity ofKarachi.
- 1972-United AirlinesFlight 553, aBoeing 737,crashes after abandoning its landing attempt atChicagoMidway InternationalAirport,killing 45 people.
- 1974– Greek voters reject a proposal to restore the Greekmonarchy.
From 1976[change|change source]
- 1980–John Lennonis shot dead byMark David Chapmanoutside the Dakota Apartment building inNew York City.
- 1982– December murders: InSuriname,13 civilians and 2 military officers, opposed to themilitaryregime ofDesi Bouterse,are killed.
- 1987-Frank Vitkovicshoots and kills 8 people at the Australia Post building inMelbourne,Australia,before committingsuicide.
- 1987- The entireAlianza Limafootballteam is killed in a plane crash.
- 1988- AUSAir Force A-10 Thunderbolt II crashes into anapartmentcomplex inRemscheid,Germany,killing 5 people and injuring 50.
- 1991–Romania'sConstitutionis adopted in a referendum.
- 1991–Russia,BelarusandUkrainesign an agreement dissolving theSoviet Unionand forming theCommonwealth of Independent States.
- 1993– TheNorth American Free Trade Agreementis signed into law byBill Clinton.
- 1994–Ethiopiaadopts a new Constitution.
- 1994-SWAPOwins the most seats in theelectionto theNamibianparliament(53 out of 72).
- 1998- 81 people are killed by armed groups inAlgeria.
- 2003–Zimbabweleaves theCommonwealth of Nations.
- 2004–Dimebag Darrellis shot dead inColumbus, Ohioby paranoid schizophrenicNathan Gale.
- 2004- The Cuzco Declaration is signed inCuzco,Peru,creating theSouth AmericanCommunity of Nations.
- 2007– The office ofBenazir Bhuttois stormed by gunmen. Three people are killed.
- 2009– A bombing inBaghdadkills 127 people.
- 2012- At theUNClimate Change Conference inQatar,it is agreed that theKyoto Protocolis to be extended until2020.
- 2019- A clothing factoryfireinDelhi,India,kills at least 43 people.
- 2019-Sanna Marinis elected as the newPrime Minister of Finland.
Births[change|change source]
Up to 1900[change|change source]
- 65 BC–Horace,Roman poet (d.8 BC)
- 1542–Mary, Queen of Scots(d.1587)
- 1574-Maria Anna of Bavaria,Holy Roman Empress (d.1616)
- 1626– QueenChristina of Sweden(d.1689) (N.S.December 18onGregorian calendar)
- 1642–Johann Christoph Bach,German composer (d.1703)
- 1678-Horatio Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole,Englishdiplomat(d.1757)
- 1685–Johann Maria Farina,Italianperfumedesigner (d.1766)
- 1699–Maria Josepha of Austria,QueenofPoland(d.1757)
- 1708-Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor(d.1765)
- 1724-Claude Balbastre,French composer (d.1799)
- 1730-Jan Ingenhousz,Dutchphysiologist,biologistandchemist(d.1799)
- 1756–Archduke Maximilian Franz of Austria(d.1801)
- 1765–Eli Whitney,American inventor (d.1825)
- 1790-Augustus Meineke,Germanphilologist(d.1870)
- 1795-Peter Andreas Hansen,Danish-Germanastronomer(d.1874)
- 1817-Christian Emil Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs,10thPrime MinisterofDenmark(d.1896)
- 1818–Charles III, Prince of Monaco(d.1889)
- 1831-William Pitt Kellogg,GovernorofLouisiana(d.1918)
- 1832–Bjornstjerne Bjornson,Norwegian writer (d.1910)
- 1848-Joel Chandler Harris,Americanjournalistandwriter(d.1908)
- 1857-Duke John Albert of Mecklenburg,German politician (d.1920)
- 1861–Aristide Maillol,Frenchsculptorand painter (d.1944)
- 1861-William C. Durant,American businessman (d.1947)
- 1864–Camille Claudel,French graphic artist and sculptor (d.1943)
- 1865–Jacques Hadamard,Frenchmathematician(d.1963)
- 1865–Jean Sibelius,Finnishcomposer(d.1957)
- 1873-William Watson, Baron Thankerton,Scottish judge and politician (d.1948)
- 1875-Wilfred Hudson Osgood,Americanzoologist(d.1947)
- 1880-Johannes Aavik,Estonianphilologist(d.1973)
- 1886–Diego Rivera,Mexican painter (d.1957)
- 1890–Bohuslav Martinu,Czech composer (d.1959)
- 1892–E.C. Segar,Americancartoonist(d.1938)
- 1894-Marthe Vinot,French actress (d.1974)
- 1894-Florbela Espanca,Portuguesepoet(d.1930)
- 1899-John Qualen,Canadian actor (d.1987)
- 1899-Anselmo Alliegro y Mila,Cuban politician (d.1961)
- 1900-Ants Oras,Estonianwriter (d.1982)
- 1900-Sun Li-jen,Chinese general (d.1990)
1901 – 1950[change|change source]
- 1902-Wifredo Lam,Cubanpainter (d.1982)
- 1908-John A. Volpe,American politician (d.1994)
- 1909-Gratien Gelinas,Canadianauthor,actoranddirector(d.1999)
- 1911-Lee J. Cobb,American actor (d.1976)
- 1913–Delmore Schwartz,Americanpoet(d.1966)
- 1915-Ernest Lehman,Americanscreenwriter(d.2005)
- 1916-Richard Fleischer,Americanmovie director(d.2006)
- 1919–Peter Tali Coleman,American politician, former Governor ofAmerican Samoa(d.1997)
- 1922–Lucian Freud,German-born British painter (d.2011)
- 1922-Jean Porter,American actress (d.2018)
- 1922-Jean Ritchie,Americansinger-songwriter(d.2015)
- 1923-Pio Taufinu'u,Samoancardinal(d.2006)
- 1923-Rudolph Pariser,Americanchemist
- 1925–Sammy Davis, Jr.,American actor and singer (d.1990)
- 1925–Arnaldo Forlani,Italian politician, formerPrime MinisterofItaly
- 1926–Joachim Fest,Germanhistorian(d.2006)
- 1926-Revaz Chkheidze,Georgianmovie director(d.2015)
- 1927-Vladimir Shatalov,Soviet-Kazakhstanicosmonautandgeneral
- 1928-Jimmy Smith,American musician (d.2005)
- 1928-Ulric Neisser,German-American psychologist (d.2012)
- 1929-Johnny Anderson,Scottishfootballer(d.2001)
- 1929-Gérard de Villiers,French writer (d.2013)
- 1930–Maximilian Schell,Austrian-Swiss actor and director (d.2014)
- 1931-Bob Arum,Americanbo xingpromoter
- 1932-Charly Gaul,Luxembourgcyclist (d.2005)
- 1933-Flip Wilson,American comedian and actor (d.1998)
- 1935-Dharmendra,Indian actor
- 1935-Tatiana Zatulovskaya,Israelichessplayer
- 1936–David Carradine,American actor (d.2009)
- 1936-Ralph Brand,Scottishfootballer
- 1937-James MacArthur,American actor (d.2010)
- 1938–John Kufuor,formerPresidentofGhana
- 1939–James Galway,Northern Irishflautist
- 1939-Jerry Butler,Americansinger-songwriter
- 1939-Dariush Mehrjui,Iraniandirector,screenwriterandproducer
- 1939-Red Berenson,Canadianice hockeyplayer and coach
- 1941–Geoff Hurst,Englishfootballer
- 1941-Bobby Elliott,English drummer
- 1942-Mario Savio,American activist (d.1996)
- 1943–Jim Morrison,American singer (The Doors) (d.1971)
- 1943-James Tate,American writer (d.2015)
- 1944-Ted Irvine,Canadianice hockeyplayer
- 1945-John Banville,Irish author
- 1946-John Rubinstein,American actor, composer and director
- 1947–Thomas R. Cech,Americanchemist
- 1947–Gregg Allman,American musician (d.2017)
- 1948-Luis Caffarelli,Argentine-Americanmathematicianand academic
- 1950-Dan Hartman,Americansinger-songwriterandproducer(d.1994)
1951 – 1975[change|change source]
- 1951–Bill Bryson,American writer
- 1952-Bobby McKean,Scottishfootballer(d.1978)
- 1953–Kim Basinger,American actress
- 1953-Norman Finkelstein,American academic, author and activist
- 1954-Louis de Bernières,English writer
- 1955-Martin Semmelrogge,German actor
- 1956-Warren Cuccurullo,Americanguitarist
- 1956-Andrius Kubilius,9thPrime MinisterofLithuania
- 1956-Pierre Pincemaille,Frenchorganist
- 1957-James Cama,Americanmartial artsteacher (d.2014)
- 1957–Phil Collen,Englishguitarist(Def Leppard)
- 1959-Paul Rutherford,English singer
- 1959-Jim Yong Kim,Korean-American formerPresidentof theWorld Bank
- 1960-Lim Guam Eng,Malaysianpolitician
- 1960-Aaron Allston,American author (d.2014)
- 1961–Ann Coulter,American political commentator
- 1962–Marty Friedman,American guitarist
- 1963-Greg Howe,Americanguitarist,composerandproducer
- 1963-Brian McClair,Scottishfootballer
- 1964–Teri Hatcher,American actress
- 1964-Mike Ruiz,Canadian-American model, photographer and director
- 1964-Richard David Precht,Germanphilosopher
- 1965-David Harewood,English actor
- 1966–Les Ferdinand,Englishfootballer
- 1966–Sinéad O'Connor,Irish singer (d.2023)
- 1966–Hope Powell,Englishfootballerandcoach
- 1972–Marco Abreu,Angolanfootballer
- 1973–Corey Taylor,American singer
From 1976[change|change source]
- 1976–Dominic Monaghan,English actor
- 1977–Sébastien Chabal,Frenchrugbyplayer
- 1978–Frédéric Piquionne,Frenchfootballer
- 1978-Ian Somerhalder,American actor
- 1979–Christian Wilhelmsson,Swedishfootballer
- 1980-Lisa Kelly,American trucker (Ice Road Truckers)
- 1982–Halil Altintop,Turkishfootballer
- 1982–Hamit Altintop,Turkishfootballer
- 1982–Nicki Minaj,Trinidad and Tobago-born American singer
- 1982-DeeDee Trotter,American athlete
- 1983-Valéry Mézague,Cameroonianfootballer(d.2014)
- 1984-Dustin Brown,Jamaican-Germantennisplayer
- 1984-Emma Green Tegaro,Swedish high jumper
- 1985-Meagan Duhamel,Canadian ice skater
- 1985-Dwight Howard,Americanbasketballplayer
- 1986–Amir Khan,Englishboxer
- 1986–Kate Voegele,Americanmusician
- 1987-Susanne Riesch,Germanskier
- 1989-Drew Doughty,Canadianice hockeyplayer
- 1992-Katie Stevens,Americansingerandactress
- 1993–AnnaSophia Robb,Americanactress
- 1994-Raheem Sterling,Englishfootballer
- 1995-Jordon Ibe,Englishfootballer
- 1996-Teala Dunn,Americanactress
- 1996-Scott McTominay,English-Scottishfootballer
Deaths[change|change source]
Up to 1900[change|change source]
- 592-Emperor SushunofJapan
- 899-Arnulf of Carinthia,King of East Francia (b.850)
- 1495-Alfonso II of Naples(b.1448)
- 1691–Richard Baxter,English clergyman (b.1615)
- 1709–Thomas Corneille,French dramatist (b.1625)
- 1722–Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate(b.1652)
- 1744-Marie Anne de Mailly,mistress toLouis XV of France(b.1711)
- 1793–Madame du Barry,French mistress (b.1743)
- 1830–Benjamin Constant,Swiss-French writer (b.1767)
- 1859-Thomas De Quincey,English author (b.1785)
- 1864-George Boole,Englishmathematicianandphilosopher(b.1815)
- 1869-Narcisa de Jesus,EcuadoreanCatholic laywoman and saint (b.1832)
- 1885-William Henry Vanderbilt,Americanrailroadexecutive and philanthropist (b.1821)
- 1894-Pafnuty Chebyshev,Russianmathematician(b.1821)
1901 – 2000[change|change source]
- 1903–Herbert Spencer,Englishphilosopherandsociologist(b.1820)
- 1907– KingOscar II of Sweden(b.1829)
- 1914–Maximilian von Spee,German naval officer (b.1861)
- 1930-Florbela Espanca,Portuguesepoet(b.1894)
- 1933–Yamamoto Gonnohyoe,Prime Minister of Japan(b.1852)
- 1952-Charles Lightoller,English officer on theRMS Titanic(b.1874)
- 1955-Hermann Weyl,Germanmathematician,physicistandphilosopher(b.1885)
- 1956-Jimmie Angel,Americanpilot(b.1899)
- 1963-Sarit Thanarat,11thPrime Minister of Thailand(b.1908)
- 1967–John Mills, Sr.,American singer (b.1889)
- 1971-Ernst Krenkel,SovietArcticexplorer and radio operator (b.1903)
- 1975-Gary Thain,New Zealand musician (Uriah Heep) (b.1948)
- 1978–Golda Meir,Prime Minister of Israel(b.1898)
- 1980–John Lennon,English singer, songwriter and musician (The Beatles) (b.1940)
- 1981–Ferruccio Parri,Italian politician (b.1890)
- 1982-Marty Robbins,American singer-songwriter and racing driver (b.1925)
- 1982–Bram Behr,Surinamesejournalist (b.1951)
- 1982-Andre Kramperveen,Surinamesefootballerand politician (b.1924)
- 1983–Slim Pickens,American actor (b.1919)
- 1983-Keith Holyoake,26thPrime Minister of New Zealand(b.1904)
- 1984-Luther Adler,American actor (b.1903)
- 1990–Tadeusz Kantor,Polishtheatredirector (b.1915)
- 1991-Buck Clayton,Americantrumpeter(b.1911)
- 1992–William Shawn,American magazine editor (b.1917)
- 1996–Howard Rollins,American actor (b.1950)
- 1996-Kashiwado Tsuyoshi,Japanesesumowrestler (b.1938)
- 1997-Laurean Rugambwa,Tanzaniancardinal(b.1912)
- 1998-Aaron Hopa,New Zealand rugby player (b.1971)
From 2001[change|change source]
- 2003–Rubén González,Cubanpianist(Buena Vista Social Club) (b.1919)
- 2004–Dimebag Darrell,American guitarist (b.1966)
- 2008–Oliver Postgate,Britishanimator,puppetteerand writer (b.1925)
- 2011–Zelman Cowen,19thGovernor-General of Australia(b.1919)
- 2013-John Cornforth,Australianchemist(b.1917)
- 2014-Nedunuri Krishnamurthy,Indian singer (b.1927)
- 2014-Knut Nystedt,Norwegiancomposer(b.1915)
- 2014-Russ Kemmerer,Americanbaseballplayer (b.1930)
- 2015-Alan Hodgkinson,Englishfootballer(b.1936)
- 2015-Elsie Tu,English-Hong Kong socialactivist(b.1913)
- 2015-Mattiwilda Dobbs,Americancoloraturasoprano(b.1925)
- 2015-John Trudell,Americanactivistandpoet(b.1946)
- 2015-Bonnie Lou,Americansinger(b.1924)
- 2015-Douglas Tompkins,American businessman (b.1943)
- 2016-John Glenn,Americanastronautandpolitician(b.1921)
- 2016-Joseph Mascolo,American actor (b.1929)
- 2017-Vladimir Curbet,Moldovanchoreographer(b.1930)
- 2017-Sunny Murray,Americanjazzdrummer (b.1936)
- 2017-Atsutoshi Nishida,Japanese businessman (b.1943)
- 2018-Lyudmila Alexeyeva,Russian activist (b.1927)
- 2018-Enrico Crispolti,Italian art critic and historian (b.1933)
- 2018-Pentti Tiusanen,Finnish politician (b.1949)
- 2018-David Weatherall,Britishphysicianandmoleculargeneticist(b.1933)
- 2019-René Auberjonois,American actor (b.1940)
- 2019-Hirokazu Kanazawa,Japanesekaratepractitioner and teacher (b.1931)
- 2019-Caroll Spinney,American actor and puppeteer (b.1933)
- 2019-Paul Volcker,American economist (b.1927)
- 2019-Zvonimir Vujin,Serbian boxer (b.1943)
- 2019-Juice Wrld,American rapper (b.1998)
Observances[change|change source]
- Roman Catholic Feast Day of theImmaculate Conception
- CARICOM-CubaDay
- Constitution Day (RomaniaandUzbekistan)
- Students' Day (Bulgaria)
- National Youth Day (Albania)
- Bodhi Day (Japan)