December 21 in History

Apollo program: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its

1968 — Apollo program: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew on a lunar trajectory for the first visit to another celestial body by humans

December 21 spans 38 recorded events across recorded history, from 69 to 2023. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.

By · — Wikipedia

Historical Events 38 events 69 – 2023

More major events on December 21

The featured story and these ranked highlights form a quick summary. Every recorded event remains available in the chronology below.

  1. 1826 American settlers in Nacogdoches, Mexican Texas, declare their independence, starting the Fredonian Rebellion. Source
  2. 1861 Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. Source
  3. 1991 Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The leaders of 11 now effectively autonomous Soviet republics sign the Alma-Ata Protocol establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the collapsing Soviet Union. Source

Did you know

In 1968, Apollo program: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew on a lunar trajectory for the first visit to another celestial body by humans. This featured entry focuses on the immediate decision and its direct historical impact.

Did you know

Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the ten field centers of NASA. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.

Did you know

Since 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. This clarifies the institutional and public response around the event.

Did you know

Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Artemis programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 and managed by KSC. This shows how the event shaped policy and public communication in the same period.

Did you know

Located on the east coast of Florida, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS). This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.

69 AD_69
The Roman Senate declares Vespasian emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors.
Calendar year
Wikipedia source
1124 Pope_Honorius_II
Pope Honorius II is consecrated, having been elected after the controversial dethroning of Pope-Elect Celestine II.
Head of the Catholic Church from 1124 to 1130
Wikipedia source
1140 Siege_of_Weinsberg
After a siege of several weeks, the city of Weinsberg and its castle surrender to Conrad III of Germany.
1140 battle between the Welfs and Hohenstaufens dynasties
Wikipedia source
1237 Ryazan
The city of Ryazan is sacked by the Mongol army of Batu Khan.
City in Ryazan Oblast, Russia
Wikipedia source
1361 Battle_of_Linuesa
The Battle of Linuesa is fought in the context of the Spanish Reconquista between the forces of the Emirate of Granada and the combined army of the Kingdom of Castile and of Jaén resulting in a Castilian victory.
1361 battle of the Reconquista
Wikipedia source
1598
Battle of Curalaba: The revolting Mapuche, led by cacique Pelentaru, inflict a major defeat on Spanish troops in southern Chile.
1598 Mapuche uprising against Spanish colonists in Chile
Wikipedia source
1620 Plymouth_Colony
Plymouth Colony: William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land near what is now known as Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
English colonial venture in America (1620–1691)
Wikipedia source
1826 Nacogdoches,_Texas
American settlers in Nacogdoches, Mexican Texas, declare their independence, starting the Fredonian Rebellion.
City in Texas, United States
Wikipedia source
1832 Egyptian–Ottoman_War_(1831–1833)
Egyptian–Ottoman War: Egyptian forces decisively defeat Ottoman troops at the Battle of Konya.
Military conflict between the Ottoman Empire and the Eyalet of Egypt (1831-33)
Wikipedia source
1844
The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers commences business at its cooperative in Rochdale, England, starting the Cooperative movement.
British consumer co-operative
Wikipedia source
1861 Medal_of_Honor
Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln.
Highest award in the United States Armed Forces
Wikipedia source
1872 Challenger_expedition
Challenger expedition: HMS Challenger, commanded by Captain George Nares, sails from Portsmouth, England.
Oceanographic research expedition (1872–1876)
Wikipedia source
1879 Nora_Helmer
the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre.
Character in the play A Doll's House
Wikipedia source
1883 Royal_Canadian_Dragoons
The Royal Canadian Dragoons and The Royal Canadian Regiment, the first Permanent Force cavalry and infantry regiments of the Canadian Army, are formed.
Canadian Army armoured regiment
Wikipedia source
1907 Chilean_Army
The Chilean Army commits a massacre of at least 2,000 striking saltpeter miners in Iquique, Chile.
Land-based arm of the Chilean armed forces
Wikipedia source
1910 Pretoria_Pit_disaster
An underground explosion at the Hulton Bank Colliery No.
3 Pit in Over Hulton, Westhoughton, England, kills 344 miners.
Wikipedia source
1919
American anarchist Emma Goldman is deported to Russia.
Political philosophy and movement
Wikipedia source
1923 Nepal
United Kingdom and Nepal formally sign an agreement of friendship, called the Nepal–Britain Treaty of 1923, which superseded the Treaty of Sugauli signed in 1816.
Country in South Asia
Wikipedia source
1934 Lieutenant_Kijé_(Prokofiev)
Lieutenant Kijé, one of Sergei Prokofiev's best-known works, premiered.
1934 film music and orchestral suite
Wikipedia source
1941 World_War_II
World War II: A Thai-Japanese Pact of Alliance is signed.
Global conflict (1939–1945)
Wikipedia source
1946
An 8.1 Mw earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Nankaidō, Japan, kills over 1,300 people and destroys over 38,000 homes.
Measure of earthquake size
Wikipedia source
1963
"Bloody Christmas" begins in Cyprus, ultimately resulting in the displacement of 25,000–30,000 Turkish Cypriots and destruction of more than 100 villages.
Inter-communal violence Cyprus
Wikipedia source
1965 International_Convention_on_the_Elimination_of_All_Forms_of_Racial_Discrimination
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is adopted.
1969 United Nations human rights instrument
Wikipedia source
1967
Louis Washkansky, the first man to undergo a human-to-human heart transplant, dies in Cape Town, South Africa, having lived for 18 days after the transplant.
First human heart transplantee (1912–1967)
Wikipedia source
1973
The Geneva Conference on the Arab–Israeli conflict opens.
Arab–Israeli peace conference
Wikipedia source
1979 Lancaster_House_Agreement
Lancaster House Agreement: An independence agreement for Rhodesia is signed in London by Lord Carrington, Sir Ian Gilmour, Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Bishop Abel Muzorewa and S.C.
Mundawarara.
Wikipedia source
1988 Pan_Am_Flight_103
A bomb explodes on board Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, killing 270.
This is to date the deadliest air disaster to occur on British soil.
Wikipedia source
1991 Dissolution_of_the_Soviet_Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The leaders of 11 now effectively autonomous Soviet republics sign the Alma-Ata Protocol establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the collapsing Soviet Union.
1988–1991 breakup of the sovereign state
Wikipedia source
1992 Netherlands
A Dutch DC-10, flight Martinair MP 495, crashes at Faro Airport, Portugal, killing 56.
Country in Northwestern Europe and the Caribbean
Wikipedia source
1995 Bethlehem
The city of Bethlehem passes from Israeli to Palestinian control.
City in the West Bank, Palestine
Wikipedia source
1999 Civil_Guard_(Spain)
The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.
Gendarmerie branch of Spain's armed forces
Wikipedia source
1999 Cubana_de_Aviación_Flight_1216
Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216 overshoots the runway at La Aurora International Airport, killing 18.
1999 aviation accident
Wikipedia source
2004 Iraq_War
Iraq War: A suicide bomber kills 22 at the forward operating base next to the main U.S.
military airfield at Mosul, Iraq, the single deadliest suicide attack on American soldiers in Iraq.
Wikipedia source
2012 2012_phenomenon
2012 phenomenon: Festivities are held in parts of Mesoamerica to commemorate the conclusion of b'ak'tun 13, a roughly 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar whose passing many New Age spiritualists had earlier held to portend a variety of cataclysmic or transformative events.
Eschatological beliefs about the year
Wikipedia source
2020 Great_conjunction
A great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurs, with the two planets separated in the sky by 0.1 degrees.
This is the closest conjunction between the two planets since 1623.
Wikipedia source
2022
A Vega C rocket carrying two Pléiades Neo satellites fails after liftoff.
European small-lift launch vehicle
Wikipedia source
2023 2023_Prague_shootings
Fourteen people are killed and 25 others injured during a mass shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
Mass murder in the Czech Republic
Wikipedia source

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