What Happened on December 29 in History?

December 29 has been a significant date for major political shifts, tragic conflicts, and milestones in the arts and sciences.

Major Historical Events

• Wounded Knee Massacre (1890): U.S. Army 7th Cavalry troops killed more than 250 Lakota people, including women and children, at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. It was the last major armed conflict between the U.S. and Plains tribes.

• Assassination of Thomas Becket (1170): The Archbishop of Canterbury was brutally murdered inside Canterbury Cathedral by four knights loyal to King Henry II, following a dispute over church rights.

• Texas Statehood (1845): Texas was officially admitted to the Union as the 28th U.S. state.

• Second Great Fire of London (1940): During World War II, the German Luftwaffe dropped thousands of incendiary bombs on London, causing the most devastating fire damage since 1666.

• Establishment of Ireland (1937): A new constitution enacted on this day changed the name of the Irish Free State to Ireland (Éire).

• End of Guatemalan Civil War (1996): A peace accord was signed between the government and leftist rebels, ending a 36-year conflict that claimed roughly 200,000 lives.

• Velvet Revolution Success (1989): Playwright and activist Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia, becoming the country's first non-communist leader in over 40 years.

Science, Technology & Sports

• Edison’s Patent (1891): Thomas Edison received a patent for a system of transmitting signals electrically (a precursor to radio).

• First YMCA (1851): The first American chapter of the Young Men's Christian Association opened in Boston, Massachusetts.

• Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 (1972): A Lockheed L-1011 TriStar crashed in the Florida Everglades, killing 101 people. It was the first fatal crash of a wide-body aircraft.

• Perfect Season (2007): The New England Patriots defeated the New York Giants to become the first NFL team to finish a 16-game regular season undefeated.

Notable Births & Deaths

• Births:

• Andrew Johnson (1808): 17th U.S. President.

• Mary Tyler Moore (1936): Iconic American actress.

• Tiger Woods (1975): Legendary American golfer.

• LeBron James (1984): NBA superstar and all-time leading scorer.

• Deaths:

• Pelé (2022): Brazilian football legend and three-time World Cup winner.

• Vivienne Westwood (2022): Renowned fashion designer who brought punk into the mainstream.

• Jimmy Carter (2024): 39th U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who passed away at age 100.