December 31 - This day in History

December 31: General Interest
1999: Panama Canal turned over to Panama

On 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