Dec 18

Dec 18 What Happened on December 18 in History?

December 18 has been a monumental date in history, marked by the legal abolition of slavery in the United States, the end of one of World War I's deadliest battles, and significant cultural premieres like The Nutcracker.

Significant Historical Events

1865: Abolition of Slavery — The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was officially ratified, formally abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States.
1916: End of the Battle of Verdun — After 10 months of brutal fighting and nearly one million total casualties, the longest battle of World War I concluded with a French victory over German forces.
2019: First Impeachment of Donald Trump — The U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, making him the third president in history to be impeached.
1787: New Jersey Statehood — New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and join the Union.
1620: Mayflower Landing — The Mayflower anchored at Plymouth Harbor, and a small group of Pilgrims went ashore to begin their settlement in modern-day Massachusetts.
2011: Iraq War Ends — The last U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq, formally ending the nearly nine-year conflict.

Science, Technology, & Exploration

1958: First Communications Satellite — The U.S. launched Project SCORE, the world’s first communications satellite, which later broadcast a pre-recorded Christmas message from President Eisenhower.
1957: Civilian Nuclear Power — The Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania became the first full-scale civilian nuclear facility in the U.S. to generate electricity.
1888: Discovery of Mesa Verde — Ranchers Richard Wetherill and Charlie Mason discovered the ancient Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, Colorado.
1966: Epimetheus Discovered — Astronomer Richard Walker discovered Epimetheus, a moon of Saturn.

Arts, Culture, & Sports

1892: The Nutcracker Premiere — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s now-iconic ballet premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia.
1966: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! — The classic Dr. Seuss animated special debuted on CBS.
2022: Argentina Wins World Cup — Led by Lionel Messi, Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout to win their third FIFA World Cup title.
1932: First Indoor NFL Playoff — The Chicago Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans 9-0 in the first-ever NFL playoff game, which was moved indoors to Chicago Stadium due to a blizzard.

Notable Birthdays