December 31 - The Day in History - What Happend

December 31 : General Interest 1999: Panama Canal turned over to Panama InOn this day in 1999, the United States, in accordance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, officially hands over control of the Panama Canal, putting the strategic waterway into Panamanian hands for the first time... read more American Revolution 1775 : Patriots are defeated at Quebec http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/patriots-are-defeated-at-quebec Automotive 1927 : Henry Ford publishes the last issue of the Dearborn Independent http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/henry-ford-publishes-the-last-issue-of-the-dearborn-independent Civil War 1862 : Confederate General Forrest escapes capture at Parker's Crossroads http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-parkers-crossroads Cold War 1978 : United States ends official relations with Nationalist China http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/united-states-ends-official-relations-with-nationalist-china Crime 1984 : Subway vigilante turns himself in http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/subway-vigilante-turns-himself-in Disaster 1972 : Baseball star dies in plane crash http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/baseball-star-dies-in-plane-crash General Interest 1600 : Charter granted to the East India Company http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/charter-granted-to-the-east-india-company 1775 : Patriots defeated at Quebec http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/patriots-defeated-at-quebec 1879 : Edison demonstrates incandescent light http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/edison-demonstrates-incandescent-light 1968 : Soviets test supersonic airliner http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviets-test-supersonic-airliner Hollywood 1937 : Anthony Hopkins born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/anthony-hopkins-born Literary 1972 : Pete Hamill quits drinking http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pete-hamill-quits-drinking Music 1985 : Rick Nelson dies in a plane crash http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rick-nelson-dies-in-a-plane-crash Old West 1943 : John Denver born in New Mexico http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-denver-born-in-new-mexico Presidential 1961 : Kennedy and Khrushchev exchange holiday greetings http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kennedy-and-khrushchev-exchange-holiday-greetings Sports 1972 : Plane carrying Roberto Clemente crashes http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/plane-carrying-roberto-clemente-crashes Vietnam War 1968 : Bloodiest year of the war ends http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bloodiest-year-of-the-war-ends 1971 : U.S. annual casualty figures down http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-annual-casualty-figures-down 1972 : U.S. and communist negotiators prepare to return to the Paris talks http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-and-communist-negotiators-prepare-to-return-to-the-paris-talks World War I 1880 : American general and diplomat George C. Marshall is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-general-and-diplomat-george-c-marshall-is-born World War II 1944 : Hungary declares war on Germany http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hungary-declares-war-on-germany