December birthstone a slab of turquoise 2010 photo by By Parent Géry – Own work, Public Domain, https commons.wikimedia.org

1780s

• BORN 1782: MARTIN VAN BUREN (8TH U.S. PRESIDENT). HE WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO BE A U.S. CITIZEN AT BIRTH

1790s

• DIED 1791: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (COMPOSER)

1830s

• BORN 1839: GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER (U.S. CALVARY OFFICER)

1890s

• 1893: CANADA’S FIRST ELECTRIC CAR DEBUTED, IN TORONTO, ONTARIO

1900s

• BORN 1901: WALT DISNEY (ANIMATOR & THEME PARK DEVELOPER)
• BORN 1902: STROM THURMOND (POLITICIAN)

1920s

• DIED 1926: CLAUDE MONET (PAINTER)
• 1929: AMERICAN LEAGUE FOR PHYSICAL CULTURE FORMED

1930s

• 1935: FIRST LARGE HYDROPONICUM ESTABLISHED, IN MONTEBELLO, CALIFORNIA

1950s

• DIED 1951: “SHOELESS” JOE JACKSON (BASEBALL PLAYER)
• 1955: CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HELPED ORGANIZE THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT TO PROTEST RACIAL SEGREGATION ON CITY BUSES

1960s

• 1968: THE ROLLING STONES CELEBRATED THE RELEASE OF BEGGARS BANQUET WITH A CUSTARD PIE FIGHT AT LONDON’S KENSINGTON GORE HOTEL

1970s

• 1974: THE LAST NEW EPISODE OF MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS WAS BROADCAST ON THE BBC

1980s

• 1983: THE FIRST SIX ASTRONAUTS WERE CHOSEN FOR THE CANADIAN SPACE PROGRAM
• BORN 1985: FRANKIE MUNIZ (ACTOR)

2010s

• DIED 2010: DON MEREDITH (FOOTBALL PLAYER & BROADCASTER)
• DIED 2011: PUSUKE (WORLD’S OLDEST LIVING DOG UNTIL TIME OF DEATH)
• 2012: ELECTRIC EELS LIT A CHRISTMAS TREE AT THE LIVING PLANET AQUARIUM IN SANDY, UTAH
• DIED 2013: NELSON MANDELA (POLITICAL ACTIVIST)

COURTESY www.almanac.com