December 22 - This day in History

December 22: General Interest
1956: First gorilla born in captivity

On this day in 1956, a baby gorilla named Colo enters the world at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, becoming the first-ever gorilla born in captivity. Weighing in at approximately 4 pounds, Colo, a western lowland gorilla whose name was a combination of Columbus and Ohio, was the daughter of Millie and Mac, two gorillas captured in French Cameroon, Africa, who were brought... read more


American Revolution
1775 : Continental Congress creates a Continental Navy
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/continental-congress-creates-a-continental-navy


Automotive
1900 : First "Mercedes" is delivered to its buyer
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-mercedes-is-delivered-to-its-buyer


Civil War
1864 : Sherman presents Lincoln with a Christmas gift
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sherman-presents-lincoln-with-a-christmas-gift


Cold War
1990 : Lech Walesa sworn in as president of Poland
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lech-walesa-sworn-in-as-president-of-poland


Crime
1978 : John Wayne Gacy confesses
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-wayne-gacy-confesses


Disaster
11939 : Express trains collide in Germany
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/express-trains-collide-in-germany


General Interest
1894 : Dreyfus affair begins in France
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dreyfus-affair-begins-in-france

1971 : Waldheim elected U.N. secretary-general
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/waldheim-elected-un-secretary-general

1984 : The Bernhard Goetz subway shooting
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-bernhard-goetz-subway-shooting

1989 : Romanian government falls
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/romanian-government-falls


Hollywood
1979 : Hollywood mogul Darryl Zanuck dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hollywood-mogul-darryl-zanuck-dies


Literary
1849 : Dostoevsky reprieved at last minute
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dostoevsky-reprieved-at-last-minute


Music
1808 : Beethoven's Fifth Symphony given world premiere in Vienna
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/beethoven39s-fifth-symphony-given-world-premiere-in-vienna


Old West
1884 : John Chisum dies in Arkansas
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-chisum-dies-in-arkansas


Presidential
1968 : Julie Nixon marries David Eisenhower
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/julie-nixon-marries-david-eisenhower


Sports
1971 : L.A. Lakers break pro sports winning streak record
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/la-lakers-break-pro-sports-winning-streak-record


Vietnam War
1971 : Soviet Union attacks Chinese policy toward Vietnam
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviet-union-attacks-chinese-policy-toward-vietnam

1972 : Washington announces Linebacker II raids will continue
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/washington-announces-linebacker-ii-raids-will-continue


World War I
1917 : Russian-German peace talks begin at Brest-Litovsk
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/russian-german-peace-talks-begin-at-brest-litovsk


World War II
1941 : Churchill and Roosevelt discuss war and peace
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-and-roosevelt-discuss-war-and-peace