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The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was established in 1841, following the Act of Union 1840.
December 18 in History
39 events
1118 – 2022
Today in history
December 18 spans 39 recorded events across recorded history, from 1118 to 2022. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
1854 — The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada abolishes the seigneurial system
More major events on December 18
The featured story and these ranked highlights form a quick summary. Every recorded event remains available in the chronology below.
- 1972 Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on the 13th. Source
- 1958 Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, is launched. Source
- 1865 US Secretary of State William Seward proclaims the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, prohibiting slavery throughout the United States. Source
1118
The city of Zaragoza is conquered by king Alfonso I of Aragon from the Almoravid.
Capital of Aragon, Spain
1271
Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (元 yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China.
Emperor of Yuan China from 1271 to 1294
1499
A rebellion breaks out in Alpujarras in response to the forced conversions of Muslims in Spain.
Uprisings by Muslims in southern Iberia
1622
Portuguese forces score a military victory over the Kingdom of Kongo at the Battle of Mbumbi in present-day Angola.
Colonial empire between 1415 and 1999
1655
The Whitehall Conference ends with the determination that there was no law preventing Jews from re-entering England after the Edict of Expulsion of 1290.
1655 meeting about Jews in England
1777
The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the American rebels over British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in October.
American federal holiday in November
1833
The national anthem of the Russian Empire, "God Save the Tsar!", is first performed.
Song that represents a country or nation
1865
US Secretary of State William Seward proclaims the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, prohibiting slavery throughout the United States.
American politician (1801–1872)
1867
A magnitude 7.0 earthquakes strikes off the coast of Taiwan, triggering a tsunami and killing at least 580 people.
Earthquake and tsunami affecting the northern coast of Taiwan
1878
The Al-Thani family become the rulers of the state of Qatar.
Ruling dynasty of Qatar
1892
The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky premiers in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
1892 ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
1898
Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat sets the first officially recognized land speed record of 63.159 km/h (39.245 mph) in a Jeantaud electric car.
French racing driver (1866–1903)
1916
World War I: The Battle of Verdun ends when the second French offensive pushes the Germans back two or three kilometres, causing them to cease their attacks.
Global conflict from 1914 to 1918
1917
The resolution containing the language of the Eighteenth Amendment to enact Prohibition is passed by the United States Congress.
1919 amendment establishing prohibition of alcohol; null and void since 1933
1932
The Chicago Bears defeat the Portsmouth Spartans in the first NFL playoff game to win the NFL Championship.
National Football League franchise in Chicago
1935
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is founded in Ceylon.
Sri Lankan Trotskyist political party
1939
World War II: The Battle of the Heligoland Bight, the first major air battle of the war, takes place.
Global conflict (1939–1945)
1944
World War II: XX Bomber Command responds to the Japanese Operation Ichi-Go offensive by dropping five hundred tons of incendiary bombs on a supply base in Hankow, China.
1941-1948 United States Air Force operational command
1944
The Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in Korematsu v.
United States supporting Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 which cleared the way for the incarceration of nearly all 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens, born and raised in the United States.
1957
A violent F5 tornado wipes out the entire community of Sunfield, Illinois.
Tornado outbreak in the United States
1958
Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, is launched.
First ever communications satellite
1966
Saturn's moon Epimetheus is discovered by astronomer Richard Walker.
Sixth planet from the Sun
1972
Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on the 13th.
1955–1975 war in Southeast Asia
1973
Soviet Soyuz Programme: Soyuz 13, crewed by cosmonauts Valentin Lebedev and Pyotr Klimuk, is launched from Baikonur in the Soviet Union.
Human spaceflight programme of the Soviet Union
1977
United Airlines Flight 2860 crashes near Kaysville, Utah, killing all three crew members on board.
1977 aviation accident in Utah
1977
SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730 crashes near Madeira Airport in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, killing 36.
1977 aviation accident
1981
First flight of the Russian heavy strategic bomber Tu-160, the world's largest combat aircraft, largest supersonic aircraft and largest variable-sweep wing aircraft built.
Bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity
1995
A Lockheed L-188 Electra crashes in Jamba, Cuando, Angola, killing 141 people.
American turboprop airliner, built 1957–1961
1999
NASA launches into orbit the Terra platform carrying five Earth Observation instruments, including ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS and MOPITT.
American space and aeronautics agency
2002
California gubernatorial recall: Then Governor of California Gray Davis announces that the state would face a record budget deficit of $35 billion, roughly double the figure reported during his reelection campaign one month earlier.
Recall election in US state
2005
The Chadian Civil War begins when rebel groups, allegedly backed by neighbouring Sudan, launch an attack in Adré.
Ethno-religious conflict
2006
The first of a series of floods strikes Malaysia.
The death toll of all flooding is at least 118, with over 400,000 people displaced.
2015
Kellingley Colliery, the last deep coal mine in Great Britain, closes.
Former coal mine in North Yorkshire, England (1965–2015)
2017
Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501, derailed near DuPont, Washington, a city in United States near Olympia, Washington killing six people, and injuring 70 others.
Amtrak service between Vancouver, BC, and Eugene, OR
2019
The United States House of Representatives impeaches Donald Trump for the first time.
2019 US presidential impeachment
2022
Argentina win the FIFA World Cup final, defeating title holders France 4–2 on penalties following a 3–3 draw after extra time.
Men's association football team