What Happened on December 13 in History?
On December 13 in history, major events include the 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein, the tragic Battle of Fredericksburg during the U.S. Civil War in 1862, and the beginning of the Nanjing Massacre in 1937.
Key Historical Events on December 13
1294: Papal Resignation - Pope Celestine V resigned the papacy after only five months to return to his former life as an ascetic hermit.
1577: Francis Drake's Voyage - Sir Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth, England, on a voyage that would become the second successful circumnavigation of the globe.
1642: Abel Tasman Sights New Zealand - Dutch navigator Abel Tasman became the first recorded European to sight New Zealand, reaching the coast of the South Island.
1769: Dartmouth College Founded - Dartmouth College received a royal charter from King George III and was founded in Hanover, New Hampshire.
1862: Battle of Fredericksburg - In one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee decisively repulsed Union attacks, inflicting heavy casualties.
1918: Woodrow Wilson in France - President Woodrow Wilson arrived in France, becoming the first U.S. president to visit Europe while in office, to take part in World War I peace negotiations.
1937: Nanking Massacre Begins - The Japanese Imperial Army captured the Chinese capital of Nanjing and began a six-week-long atrocity that resulted in the mass murder and rape of an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Chinese civilians and prisoners of war.
1972: Last Moonwalk - Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of the Apollo 17 mission began the third and final extra-vehicular activity, or "moonwalk"; to date, they are the last humans to set foot on the Moon.
2000: U.S. Presidential Election Conceded - Democrat Al Gore conceded the U.S. presidential election to Republican George W. Bush, a day after the Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida.
2001: Indian Parliament Attack - Five Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked the Parliament of India building in New Delhi, leading to the deaths of several security personnel and the terrorists themselves.
2003: Saddam Hussein Captured - Following a massive manhunt during the Iraq War, U.S. forces captured former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who was found hiding in a hole near his hometown of Tikrit.
2022: Respect for Marriage Act - President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, which provides federal recognition and protection for same-sex and interracial marriages in the United States.
Notable Birthdays
1925: Actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke
1957: Actor Steve Buscemi
1967: Actor and comedian Jamie Foxx
1989: Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift
