History Today: Jews massacred, First electric motor

1082 Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona is assassinated
1301 Pope Boniface VIII's degree Ausculta fili (only nominee)
1349 500 Jews of Nuremberg massacred during Black Death riots
1360 The French Franc is created
1408 Emir Edigu of Golden Horde reaches Moscow
1448 Bishop Jona of Moscow chosen as metropolitan of Kiev/Intoxication
1456 Earthquake strikes Naples; about 35,000 die
1496 Jews are expelled from Portugal by order of King Manuel I
1590 Niccolo Sfondrati chosen as Pope Gregory XIV
1602 Giulio Caccini's "Euridice" premieres in Florence

1741 -6] Russian princess Elisabeth Petrovna grabs powers

1746 Revolt in Genoa against Spanish rule.

1757 Battle of Leuthen: Prussian army beats Austrians

1766 London auctioneers Christie's hold their first sale

1775 At Fort Ticonderoga, Henry Knox begins his historic transport of artillery to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

1776 First US fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa (William & Mary College), forms

1813 Lübeck surrenders to allied armies

1815 Foundation of Maceió in Brazil.

1830 Hector Berlioz' "Symphonique Fantastique" premieres in Paris

1831 Former US President John Q Adams takes his seat as a member of House of Representatives

1848 US President Polk triggers Gold Rush of 1849 by confirming gold discovery in California

1854 Aaron Allen of Boston patents folding theater chair

1859 Dion Boucicault's "Octaroon" premieres in NYC

1862 Battle of Coffeeville, MS

1865 Chincha Islands War: Peru allies with Chile against Spain.

1868 1st American bicycle college opens (NY)

1876 Daniel Stillson (Mass) patents 1st practical pipe wrench

1876 Fire at Brooklyn Theater kills 295, trampled or burned to death

1879 1st automatic telephone switching system patented

1881 47th Congress (1881-83) convenes

1887 Stanley's expedition reaches plateau at Lake Albert Congo

1890 Berlioz' opera "Les Troyens" premieres in Karlsruhe

1892 Anti-semite Hermann Ahlwardt elected to Germany's Reichstag

1893 1st electric car (built in Toronto) could go 15 miles between charges
1894 Georges Feydeaus' "L'hôtel du libre échange" premieres in Paris
1896 Henrik Ibsen's "Kejsor og Galileer" premieres in Leipzig
1905 Henry Campbell-Bannermam (Lib) becomes UK PM
1908 1st US football uniform numerals used (University of Pittsburgh)
1912 The Triple Alliance among Italy, Austria, and Germany (originally signed in 1882) is renewed for six years, beginning in 1914, a move inspired by instability in the Balkans
1914 6th CFL Grey Cup: Toronto Argonauts defeats U of Toronto, 14-2
1914 The Italian Parliament proclaims the neutrality of the country.
1917 Austro-German Forces launch an offensive against the Italians on the western end of their line, around Asiago
1918 Oil refinery on Curacao opens
1920 Pro football playoff game Akron & Buffalo 0-0 tie, title undecided
1920 Dimitrios Rallis forms a government in Greece.
1924 Hamilton Tiger Red Green scores 5 goals to beat Tor Maple Leafs 10-5
1925 13th CFL Grey Cup: Ottawa Senators defeats Win Tammany Tigers, 24-1
1925 Hans Luther forced to resign as Chancellor and head of the German Weimar government
1926 Sergei Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin" debuts
1928 England defeats Australia by record 675 runs at Brisbane
1928 MW Miklas elected president of Austria
1929 1st US nudist organization (American League for Physical Culture, NYC)
1931 CFL Grey Cup: Mtl AAA beats Regina, 22-0 at Montreal

1933 21st Amendment to the US Constitution ratified, 18th Amendment (Prohibition of alcohol) repealed (5:32 PM EST)

1935 First commercial hydroponics operation established (Montebello, California)

1935 National Council of Negro Women forms by Mary McLeod Bethune (NYC)

1936 24th CFL Grey Cup: Sarnia Imperials defeats Ottawa Rough Riders, 26-20

1936 Armenian SSR, Azerbaijan SSR, Georgian SSR, Kazakh SSR & Kirghiz SSR becomes constituent republics of Soviet Union

1941 Football Writers Association of America organized

1941 Patrick Hamilton's "Angel Street" premieres in NYC

1941 Russian anti offensive in Moscow drives out nazi army

1941 Sister Elizabeth Kenny new treatment for infantile paralysis approved

1941 US aircraft carrier Lexington and 5 heavy cruisers leave Pearl Harbor

1942 CFL Grey Cup: Tor beats Win RCAF, 8 -5 at Toronto

1942 Seyss-Inquart orders students in nazi-Germany to work

1942 West Indies chocolate/coffee drop above Netherland

1943 NFL Philadelphia Eagle-Pitts Steeler merger disolves

1944 German troops steal all the silver coin in Utrecht

1945 "Lost Squadron" crashes east of Florida (Bermuda Triangle)

1945 Special Council of Annulment affirms death sentence of Max Blokzijl

1950 Ezzard Charles KOs Nick Barone in 11 for heavyweight boxing title

1950 Sikkim becomes a protectorate of India

1952 -8] worst smog in London ever, 4-8,000 die

1954 KTEW (now KJRH) TV channel 2 in Tulsa, OK (NBC) begins broadcasting

1955 American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) merge, with George Meany as President

1955 The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merge and form the AFL-CIO.

1956 Thornton Wilder's "Matchmaker" premieres in NYC

1957 William Inge's "Dark at the Top of the Stairs" premieres in NYC

1957 NYC is first US city to legislate against racial or religious discrimination in. housing. market (Fair Housing Practices Law)

1955 The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merge and form the AFL-CIO.

1956 Thornton Wilder's "Matchmaker" premieres in NYC

1957 William Inge's "Dark at the Top of the Stairs" premieres in NYC

1957 NYC is first US city to legislate against racial or religious discrimination in housing market (Fair Housing Practices Law)

1958 The Preston bypass, the UK's first stretch of motorway, opens to traffic for the first time. It is now part of the M6 and M55 motorways.

1959 Intikhab Alam bowls Colin McDonald with 1st ball in Tests

1960 Ghana drops diplomatic relations with Belgium

1964 Vietnam War: for his heroism in battle earlier in the year, Captain Roger Donlon is awarded the first Medal of Honor of the war.

1966 "I Do! I Do!" opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 561 performances

1967 The Beatles' clothing store "Apple" opens at 94 Baker Street, London

1968 Rolling Stones release "Beggar's Banquet" LP

1969 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1970 LA Rams Willie Ellison sets NFL record of 247 yards rushing

1970 Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy & Bill Masterson Trophy stolen from NHL hall of fame

1970 Premiere of Dario Fo's Morte accidentale di un anarchico

1971 KCBJ (now KMIZ) TV channel 17 in Columbia, MO (ABC) 1st broadcast

1971 Libya nationalizes British Petroleum concession

1972 38th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska (FL)

1972 Australia Labour party wins parliamentary election

1972 Joseph A Walker's "River Niger" premieres in NYC

1973 Cubs' Ron Santo became 1st baseball player to veto his trade

1973 Dodgers trade Willie Davis to Expos for relief pitcher Mike Marshall

1974 1st Wash Cap penalty shot, Tom Williams unsuccessful vs Buff Sabres

1974 1st World Football League Bowl, Birmingham Americans beat Florida

1974 Airport terminal roof in Tehran collapses killing 17

1974 Final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus airs on BBC TV

1974 NFL's Seattle Seahawks forms

1974 Oliver Tilden Triangle in the Bronx named

1974 Tom Williams is unsuccessful on Wash Capitals 1st NHL penalty shot

1974 Birmingham Americans defeat the Florida Blazers 22-21 in the WFL's World Bowl

1975 "Me & Bessie" closes at Ambassador Theater NYC after 453 performances

1975 NASA launches space vehicle S-196, it failed

1978 Pioneer Venus 1 begins orbiting Venus

1978 Sam Shepard's "Buried Child" premieres in NYC

1978 Islanders took 28 shots in 1 period vs Penguins Penguins' Ross Lonsberry failed on 7th penalty shot against Islanders

1979 Ireland premier Jack Lynch resigns

1980 Bank of Canada's Canadian Currency Museum opens

1981 47th Heisman Trophy Award: Marcus Allen, Southern Cal (RB)

1981 France performs nuclear test

1982 Cleveland Browns' Brian Sipe sets club record with 33 pass completions

1982 Ingrid Berghmans (Neth) retains judo's world championship

1982 Mel Gray ends NFL streak of 121 consecutive game receptions

1982 Seattle Univ Baptist Ch declares sanctuary for Cen Am refugees

1982 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1982 15th NAACP Image Awards: "An Officer and a Gentleman" wins Outstanding Motion Picture

1983 12 killed by a car bomb shattering 9-story building in west Beirut

1983 LA Dodger pitcher Steve Howe is suspended for 1 year for cocaine use

1983 ICIMOD established and inaugurated with its headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal, and legitimised through an Act of Parliament in Nepal in the same year

1984 French colonies killed 10 Kanaken in New Caledonia

1984 Yankees trade catcher Rick Cerone to Braves for pitcher Brian Fisher

1985 Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 1,500 level for 1st time

1985 Great Britain performs nuclear test

1985 Sam Shepard's "Lie of the Mind" premieres in NYC

1987 53rd Heisman Trophy Award: Tim Brown, Notre Dame (WR)

1987 David Boon's 5th Test Cricket century, 143 v NZ at Brisbane

1987 Schonbrunn skates world record 3 km ladies (4:16.76)

1988 NC federal grand jury indict PTL founder Jim Bakker on fraud & conspiracy

1988 Shuttle Atlantis launches world's 1st nuclear-war-fighting satellite

1989 France TGV train reaches world record speed of 482.4 kph

1990 Blue Jays trade F McGriff & T Fernandez to SD for R Alomar & J Carter

1990 Former Noriega aide Luis del Cid pleads guilty

1990 British Indian novelist Salman Rushdie appears in public for 1st time in 2 years after Iran called for his assassination

1990 Iraq announces willingness to speak with US about resolving the Persian Gulf crisis

1991 "Catskills on Broadway" opens at Lunt-Fontanne NYC for 452 performances

1991 Charles Keating Jr (Lincoln Savings & Loan fraud), found guilty

1991 NY Daily News files for protection under chapter 11

1992 1st SEC Championship Game: #2 Alabama beats #12 Florida, 28-21

1993 "Timon of Athens" closes at Lyceum Theater NYC after 37 performances

1993 82nd Davis Cup: Germany beats Australia in Dusseldorf (4-1)

1993 Astronauts begin repair of Hubble telescope in space

1993 Melissa Mcnamara/Mike Sopringer wins LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic

1993 Rafael Caldera elected president of Venezuela

1993 The mayor of Wien (Vienna), Helmut Zilk, is wounded by a letter bomb.

1995 The Sri Lankan government announces the conquest of Tamil stronghold of Jaffna.

1996 "Dreams & Nightmares" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC

1996 Players union approves new collective bargaining agreement

1996 Portland's Jermaine O'Neal, 18, becomes youngest NBA player

1997 1st Game at Wash Capitals' MCI Center vs Fla Panthers

1997 STS 87 (Columbia 24) lands

1998 7th SEC Championship Game: #1 Tennessee beats #23 Mississippi State, 24-14

1998 3rd Big 12 Championship Game: #10 Texas A&M beats #2 Kansas State, 36-33 (2 OT)

1999 88th Davis Cup: Australia beats France in Nice (3-2)

2004 93rd Davis Cup: Spain beats USA in Seville (3-2)
2005 The Lake Tanganyika earthquake causes significant damage, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
2005 The Civil Partnership Act comes into effect in the United Kingdom, and the first civil partnership is registered there.
2006 Commodore Frank Bainimarama overthrows the government in Fiji.
2008 OJ Simpson is sentenced to 33 years in prison for kidnapping and armed robbery
2009 18th SEC Championship Game: #2 Alabama beats #1 Florida, 32-13
2009 5th ACC Championship Game: #12 Georgia Tech beats #25 Clemson, 39-34
2009 14th Big 12 Championship Game: #3 Texas beats #21 Nebraska, 13-12
2010 99th Davis Cup: Serbia beats France in Belgrade (3-2)
2012 8 people are killed and 12 injured by a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in South Korea
2012 In his Autumn Statement, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne cuts the UK growth forecast for 2013 to 1.2% from the 2% forecast in the budget
2013 52 people are killed and 167 are injured in a militant attack on a defense ministry compound in Sana'a, Yemen