Did you know
In 1979, Iranian Revolution: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the first Supreme Leader of Iran. This featured entry focuses on the immediate decision and its direct historical impact.
December 3 in History
1979 — Iranian Revolution: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the first Supreme Leader of Iran
December 3 spans 50 recorded events across recorded history, from 915 to 2024. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Historical Events
50 events
915 – 2024
Today in history
More major events on December 3
The featured story and these ranked highlights form a quick summary. Every recorded event remains available in the chronology below.
- 1994 Taiwan holds its first full local elections; James Soong elected as the first and only directly elected Governor of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian became the first directly elected Mayor of Taipei, Wu Den-yih became the first directly elected Mayor of Kaohsiung. Source
- 1920 Following more than a month of Turkish–Armenian War, the Turkish-dictated Treaty of Alexandropol is concluded. Source
- 1881 The first issue of Tamperean daily newspaper Aamulehti ("Morning Paper") is published. Source
Did you know
The supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, officially styled as the leader of the Islamic Revolution or the leadership of the Islamic jurist by the Iranian Constitution, is the highest political and religious authority in Iran, taking precedence above the president who is the country's de jure head of state. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.
Did you know
The armed forces, judiciary, state radio and television, and other key government organizations such as the Guardian Council and Expediency Discernment Council are subject to the supreme leader. This clarifies the institutional and public response around the event.
Did you know
In 1979, Iranian Revolution: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the first Supreme Leader of Iran had consequences that extended beyond the first headline. The key context is the institutions involved, the policy shift, and how the public response evolved afterward.
Did you know
In 1979, Iranian Revolution: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the first Supreme Leader of Iran had consequences that extended beyond the first headline. The key context is the institutions involved, the policy shift, and how the public response evolved afterward.
915
Pope John X crowns Berengar I of Italy as Holy Roman Emperor (probable date).
Head of the Catholic Church from 914 to 928
1775
American Revolution: USS Alfred becomes the first vessel to fly the Continental Union Flag (precursor to the "Stars and Stripes"); the flag is hoisted by John Paul Jones.
Founding of the United States
1799
War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Wiesloch: Austrian Lieutenant Field Marshal Anton Sztáray defeats the French at Wiesloch.
Second war on revolutionary France by European monarchies
1800
War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden: French General Jean Victor Marie Moreau decisively defeats the Archduke John of Austria near Munich.
Coupled with First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte's earlier victory at Marengo, this will force the Austrians to sign an armistice and end the war.
1800
United States presidential election: The Electoral College casts votes for president and vice president that result in a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr.
4th quadrennial U.S. presidential election
1834
The Zollverein (German Customs Union) begins the first regular census in Germany.
Economic union of German states (1834–1919)
1854
Battle of the Eureka Stockade: More than 20 gold miners at Ballarat, Victoria, are killed by state troopers in an uprising over mining licences.
1854 military conflict in Victoria, Australia
1859
Nigeria's first newspaper, missionary Henry Townsend's Iwe Irohin, was published.
British missionary in Nigeria (1815–1886)
1881
The first issue of Tamperean daily newspaper Aamulehti ("Morning Paper") is published.
City in Western Finland
1898
The Duquesne Country and Athletic Club defeats an all-star collection of early football players 16–0, in what is considered to be the first all-star game for professional American football.
American football team in Pennsylvania (1895–1900)
1901
In a State of the Union message, U.S.
President Theodore Roosevelt delivers a 20,000-word report to the House of Representatives asking Congress to curb the power of trusts "within reasonable limits". The speech was not delivered in person.
1904
The Jovian moon Himalia is discovered by Charles Dillon Perrine at California's Lick Observatory.
Natural satellites of the planet Jupiter
1910
Modern neon lighting is first demonstrated by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show.
Electric lighting using rarefied gas
1912
Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia (the Balkan League) sign an armistice with the Ottoman Empire, temporarily halting the First Balkan War.
(The armistice will expire on February 3, 1913, and hostilities will resume.)
1919
After nearly 20 years of planning and construction, including two collapses causing 89 deaths, the Quebec Bridge opens to traffic.
Bridge in Quebec City and Lévis, Quebec
1920
Following more than a month of Turkish–Armenian War, the Turkish-dictated Treaty of Alexandropol is concluded.
Battles involving Armenian National movement
1925
Final agreement is signed between the Irish Free State, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom formalizing the Partition of Ireland.
British dominion in Europe from 1922 to 1937
1929
President Herbert Hoover delivers his first State of the Union message to Congress.
It is presented in the form of a written message rather than a speech.
1938
Nazi Germany issues the Decree on the Utilization of Jewish Property forcing Jews to sell real property, businesses, and stocks at below market value as part of Aryanization.
German state from 1933 to 1945
1944
Greek Civil War: Fighting breaks out in Athens between the ELAS and government forces supported by the British Army.
1946–1949 civil war in Greece
1954
Väinö Linna's war novel The Unknown Soldier (Tuntematon sotilas) is published.
Finnish author (1920–1992)
1959
The current flag of Singapore is adopted, six months after Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire.
1960
The musical Camelot debuts at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway.
It will become associated with the Kennedy administration.
1965
Soviet Union, Space probe of the Luna program, called Luna 8, is launched, but crashes on the Moon.
Country in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991
1967
At Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, a transplant team headed by Christiaan Barnard carries out the first heart transplant on a human (53-year-old Louis Washkansky).
Teaching hospital in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
1971
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: Pakistan launches a pre-emptive strike against India and a full-scale war begins.
Military confrontation between India and Pakistan alongside the Bangladesh Liberation War
1972
Spantax Flight 275 crashes during takeoff from Tenerife North–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport, killing all 155 people on board.
1972 plane crash in Spain
1973
Pioneer program: Pioneer 10 sends back the first close-up images of Jupiter.
Series of United States uncrewed lunar and planetary space probes (1958-60; 1965-92)
1979
In Cincinnati, 11 fans are suffocated in a crush for seats on the concourse outside Riverfront Coliseum before a Who concert.
City in Ohio, United States
1982
A soil sample is taken from Times Beach, Missouri, that will be found to contain 300 times the safe level of dioxin.
Ghost town in Missouri, United States
1984
Bhopal disaster: A methyl isocyanate leak from a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, kills more than 3,800 people outright and injures 150,000–600,000 others (some 6,000 of whom later died from their injuries) in one of the worst industrial disasters in history.
1984 gas-leak accident in Bhopal, India
1989
In a meeting off the coast of Malta, U.S.
President George H. W. Bush and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev release statements indicating that the Cold War between NATO and the Warsaw Pact may be coming to an end.
1992
The Greek oil tanker Aegean Sea, carrying 80,000 tonnes of crude oil, runs aground in a storm while approaching A Coruña, Spain, and spills much of its cargo.
Ship that carries petroleum
1992
A test engineer for Sema Group uses a personal computer to send the world's first text message via the Vodafone network to the phone of a colleague.
Defunct Anglo-French IT services company (1988-2001)
1994
Taiwan holds its first full local elections; James Soong elected as the first and only directly elected Governor of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian became the first directly elected Mayor of Taipei, Wu Den-yih became the first directly elected Mayor of Kaohsiung.
Country in East Asia
1994
Sony releases the PlayStation game console in Japan.
Japanese multinational corporation
1995
Cameroon Airlines Flight 3701 crashes on approach to Douala International Airport in Douala, Cameroon, killing 71 of the 76 people on board.
1995 aviation accident in Cameroon
1997
In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, representatives from 121 countries sign the Ottawa Treaty prohibiting manufacture and deployment of anti-personnel landmines.
The United States, People's Republic of China, and Russia do not sign the treaty, however.
1999
NASA loses radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere.
American space and aeronautics agency
1999
In Worcester, Massachusetts, firefighters responded to a fire at the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co.
facility, which takes the lives of 6 firefighters.
2005
XCOR Aerospace makes the first crewed rocket aircraft delivery of U.S.
Mail in Kern County, California.
2007
Winter storms cause the Chehalis River to flood many cities in Lewis County, Washington, and close a 32-kilometre (20 mi) portion of Interstate 5 for several days.
At least eight deaths and billions of dollars in damages are blamed on the floods.
2009
A suicide bombing at a hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, kills 25 people, including three ministers of the Transitional Federal Government.
Suicide terror attack in Mogadishu, Somalia
2012
At least 475 people are killed after Typhoon Bopha makes landfall in the Philippines.
Pacific typhoon in 2012
2014
The Japanese space agency, JAXA, launches the space explorer Hayabusa2 from the Tanegashima Space Center on a six-year round trip mission to an asteroid to collect rock samples.
Japan's national air and space agency
2022
Massive power outage after Moore County substation attack that leaves 45,000 people without power for five days, leading to an FBI probe.
2022 shooting of electrical substations in North Carolina, USA
2023
Mount Marapi located in West Sumatra, Indonesia begins a sporadic series of eruptions.
23 people were killed, and 12 were injured.
