Today in History

1688		Louis XIV declares war on the Netherlands.
1774		A congress of colonial leaders criticizes British influence in the colonies and affirms their right to "Life, liberty and property."
1789		George Washington proclaims this a National Thanksgiving Day in honor of the new Constitution. This date was later used to set the date for Thanksgiving.
1812		Napoleon Bonaparte’s army begins crossing the Beresina River over two hastily constructed bridges.
1825		The Kappa Alpha Society, the second American college Greek-letter fraternity, is founded.
1863		The first National Thanksgiving is celebrated.
1901		The Hope diamond is brought to New York.
1907		The Duma lends support to Czar in St. Petersburg, who claims he has renounced autocracy.
1917		The Bolsheviks offer an armistice between Russian and the Central Powers.
1922		Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, archeologists, open King Tut’s tomb, undisturbed for 3,000 years.
1938		Poland renews nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union to protect against a German invasion.
1939		The Soviet Union charges Finland with artillery attack on border.
1941		The Japanese fleet departs from the Kuril Islands en route to its attack on Pearl Harbor.
1947		France expels 19 Soviet citizens, charging them with intervention in internal affairs.
1949		India becomes a sovereign Democratic republic.
1950		North Korean and Chinese troops halt a UN offensive.
1957		President Eisenhower suffers a minor stroke.
1975		Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme is found guilty of an attempt on President Gerald Ford’s life.
1979		Oil deposits equaling OPEC reserves are found in Venezuela.
1982		Yasuhiro Nakasone is elected the 71st Japanese prime minister.
1983		At London’s Heathrow Airport, almost 6,800 gold bars worth nearly £26 million stolen from Brinks-MAT vault.
1998		Tony Blair becomes the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to address the Republic of Ireland’s parliament.
2000		Republican candidate George W. Bush is certified the winner of Florida’s electoral votes, giving him enough electoral votes to defeat Democrat Al Gore Jr. for the US presidency, despite losing the popular vote.
2011		NATO forces in Afghanistan attack a Pakistani checkpost in a friendly fire incident, killing 24 soldiers and wounding 13 others.