This Day in History – December 13, 2011

1577 – Sir Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage. 1636 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard. 1642 – New Zealand discovered by Dutch navigator Abel Tasman 1759 – 1st music store in America opens (Philadelphia) 1769 – Dartmouth College is founded by the Rev. Eleazar Wheelock, with a Royal Charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal Governor John Wentworth. 1774 – 1st incident of the Revolution-400 attack Fort William & Mary, New Hampshire 1809 – Dr. Ephraim McDowell performed the first ovariotomy, removing a 22 pound tumor. 1843 – “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens published, 6,000 copies sold 1862 – American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats the Union Major General Ambrose E. Burnside. 1864 – Battle of Fort McAllister, GA 1903 – Wright Brothers make 1st flight at Kitty Hawk, NC 1918 – Woodrow Wilson, becomes 1st to make a foreign visit as President (France) 1928 – Clip-on tie designed 1928 – George Gershwin’s “An American In Paris” premieres (New York NY) 1936 – Final Boston Redskin NFL game, lose to Packers 21-6, move to Washington DC, Packers win NFL Championship 1938 – The Holocaust: The Neuengamme concentration camp opens in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany. 1938 – Los Angeles freezes at 28ºF 1942 – Washington Redskins defeat Chicago Bears 14-6, to win NFL title 1947 – Maine Turnpike opens to traffic 1949 – The Knesset votes to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem. 1950 – James Dean begins his career with an appearance in a Pepsi commercial 1961 – Beatles sign a formal agreement to be managed by Brian Epstein 1963 – Capitol records signs right of 1st refusal agreement with the Beatles 1972 – Apollo program: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or “Moonwalk” of Apollo 17. They were the last humans to set-foot on the Moon in the 20th century. 1975 – 1st time Saturday Night Live uses a time delay (Richard Pryor hosts) 1977 – Entire University of Evansville basketball team (14 players) die in plane crash 1978 – Susan B Anthony dollar, 1st US coin to honor a woman, issued 1992 – FCC fines Infinity Broadcasting $600,000 1993 – Deadline for Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, they don’t 1993 – Dow Jones hits record 3764.43 1995 – Christopher Reeve is released from physical rehab center 1995 – US Federal Court votes that Cable companies must carry local stations 2000 – The “Texas 7” escape from the John Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas and go on a robbery spree, during which police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot and killed. 2003 – Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit (Operation Red Dawn). 2006 – The Baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin, is announced as extinct.]]]]> ]]>