This Day in History – December 4, 2011

1619 38 colonists from Berkeley Parish in England disembark in Virginia and give thanks to God (this is considered by many to be the first Thanksgiving in the Americas). 1674 Father Jacques Marquette founds a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan to minister to the Illiniwek (the mission would later grow into the city of Chicago, Illinois). 1680 Hen in Rome lays an egg imprinted with comet not seen until Dec 16th 1682 1st General Assembly in Pennsylvania (Chester) 1812 Peter Gaillard of Lancaster PA patents a horse-drawn mower 1816 James Monroe (VA), elected 5th President, defeating Federalist Rufus King 1829 Britain abolished “suttee” in India (widow burning herself to death on her husband’s funeral pyre 1833 American Anti-Slavery Society formed by Arthur Tappan in Philadelphia 1836 Whig party holds its 1st national convention, Harrisburg PA 1843 Manila paper (made from sails, canvas & rope) patented, Massachusetts 1844 James K Polk elected 11th President of US, George M Dallas Vice President 1864 American Civil War: Sherman’s March to the Sea At Waynesboro, Georgia, forces under Union General Judson Kilpatrick prevent troops led by Confederate General Joseph Wheeler from interfering with Union General William T. Sherman’s campaign destroying a wide swath of the South on his march to the Atlantic Ocean from Atlanta, Georgia. 1872 The crewless American ship Mary Celeste is found by the British brig Dei Gratia (the ship had been abandoned for nine days but is only slightly damaged). 1906 Alpha Phi Alpha, 1st Black Greek Letter Fraternity, forms 1915 Ku Klux Klan receives charter from Fulton County GA 1918 President Wilson sails for Versailles Peace Conference in France, 1st chief executive to travel outside US while in office 1920 1st Pro football playoff game Buffalo-7, Canton-3 at Polo Grounds 1922 Lucille Atcherson, becomes 1st woman legation secretary-US foreign service 1923 Cecil B DeMille’s 1st version of “Ten Commandments” premieres 1930 Vatican approves rhythm method for birth control 1933 FDR creates Federal Alcohol Control Administration 1942 1st US citizenship granted an alien on foreign soil (James Hoey) 1942 FDR orders dismantling of Works Progress Administration 1942 US bombers struck Italian mainland for 1st time in WWII 1943 Commissioner Landis announces any baseball club may sign Negroes 1945 Senate approves US participation in UN 1954 The first Burger King is opened in Miami, Florida, United States 1961 Museum of Modern Art hangs Matisse’s Le Bateau upside down for 47 days 1965 Gemini 7 launched with 2 astronauts (Borman & Lovell) 1970 Unemployment in US increases to 5.8% 1971 The Montreux Casino in Switzerland is set ablaze by someone wielding a flare gun during a Frank Zappa concert; the incident would be noted in the Deep Purple song “Smoke on the Water”. 1975 Suriname joins the United Nations. 1977 NFL’s 5,000th game, Cincinnati beats Kansas City 27-7 1979 Cleveland Cavaliers retire jersey #7, Bingo Smith 1980 2 months after death of drummer John Bonham, Led Zeppelin breaks up 1981 “Falcon Crest” premieres on CBS-TV 1981 President Reagan allows CIA to engage in domestic counter-intelligence (No 12333) 1990 Due to Persian Gulf crisis gas hits $1.60 per gallon price in New York NY 1990 Iraq announces it will release all 3,300 Soviet hostages 1991 Judds final concert (Nashville) 1991 Muslim Shiites release last US hostage Terry Anderson (held 6½ years) 1991 Pan American World Airways ceased operations 1996 NASA’s 1st Mars rover launched from Cape Canaveral 1998 The Unity Module, the second module of the International Space Station, is launched. 2005 Tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong protest for democracy and call on the Government to allow universal and equal suffrage. 2006 An adult giant squid is caught on video for the first time by Tsunemi Kubodera near the Ogasawara Islands, 1,000 km (620 mi) south of Tokyo. 2006 Six black youths assault a white teenager in Jena, Louisiana, US; the subsequent court case becomes a cause célèbre.]]]]> ]]>