December 12 - The Day in History

December 12: General Interest 1980: Da Vinci notebook sells for over 5 million On this day in 1980, American oil tycoon Armand Hammer pays $5,126,000 at auction for a notebook containing writings by the legendary artist Leonardo da Vinci... read more American Revolution 1787 : Pennsylvania ratifies the Constitution http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pennsylvania-ratifies-the-constitution Automotive 2000 : GM announces phase-out of Oldsmobile http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gm-announces-phase-out-of-oldsmobile Civil War 1806 : Cherokee leader and Confederate General Stand Watie is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/stand-watie-born Cold War 1987 : Shultz calls on European allies to increase defense spending http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/shultz-calls-on-european-allies-to-increase-defense-spending Crime 1989 : The Queen of Mean is sentenced to the slammer http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-queen-of-mean-is-sentenced-to-the-slammer 1997 : A young murderer is indicted http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-young-murderer-is-indicted Disaster 1917 : French soldiers killed in train accident http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/french-soldiers-killed-in-train-accident General Interest 1901 : Marconi sends first Atlantic wireless transmission http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/marconi-sends-first-atlantic-wireless-transmission 1913 : Mona Lisa recovered in Florence http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/imona-lisai-recovered-in-florence 1917 : Father Flanagan establishes Boys Town http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/father-flanagan-establishes-boys-town 1937 : USS Panay sunk by Japanese http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/uss-ipanayi-sunk-by-japanese Hollywood 1967 : Hepburn, Tracy and Poitier star in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hepburn-tracy-and-poitier-star-in-guess-whos-coming-to-dinner Literary 1821 : Flaubert is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/flaubert-is-born Music 1970 : "Tears Of A Clown" gives Smokey Robinson & The Miracles their first #1 pop hit, finally http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/quottears-of-a-clownquot-gives-smokey-robinson--the-miracles-their-first-1-pop-hit-finally Old West 1929 : Cattle pioneer Charles Goodnight dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cattle-pioneer-charles-goodnight-dies Presidential 1963 : JFK memorial album sets record for sales http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jfk-memorial-album-sets-record-for-sales Sports 1965 : NFL rookie Gale Sayers ties single-game TD record http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nfl-rookie-gale-sayers-ties-single-game-td-record Vietnam War 1968 : Procedural questions cause difficulty at the peace talks http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/procedural-questions-cause-difficulty-at-the-peace-talks 1969 : Philippine soldiers depart South Vietnam http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/philippine-soldiers-depart-south-vietnam World War I 1914 : Stocks tank as NYSE trading resumes http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/stocks-tank-as-nyse-trading-resumes World War II 1941 : United States seizes French liner Normandie http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/united-states-seizes-french-liner-normandie

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