The eradication of smallpox stands as one of the greatest achievements in the history of public health. Smallpox is an infectious disease caused by the variola virus, and it had plagued humanity for centuries. Efforts to combat smallpox date back to ancient China and…
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On December 8, 1980, the world of music was shaken to its core. John Lennon, one of the legendary members of The Beatles, met a tragic end when he was fatally shot outside his apartment building, The Dakota, in New York City. Mark David…
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A Woman Takes the English Public Stage: Margaret Hughes or Anne Marshall as Desdemona in Othello On December 8, 1660, the English public stage witnessed a groundbreaking moment when a woman performed professionally for the first time, breaking with centuries of tradition. Historians continue…
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On December 7, 1787, Delaware earned its nickname “The First State” by becoming the first to ratify the United States Constitution. This moment marked the start of the Constitution’s path to becoming the supreme law of the land. Delaware’s unanimous decision reflected its leaders’…
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On December 6, 1933, United States District Judge John M. Woolsey issued a landmark ruling in United States v. One Book Called Ulysses, declaring that James Joyce’s modernist novel Ulysses was not obscene under federal law and could therefore be legally imported and sold…
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On the morning of December 6, 1917, Halifax, Nova Scotia, experienced one of the most devastating events in Canadian history. A collision between two ships in Halifax Harbour led to an explosion of catastrophic proportions, killing over 1,900 people, injuring 9,000 others, and destroying…
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London in the 1760s was a city in the midst of profound commercial and cultural transformation. The Seven Years’ War had recently concluded, redirecting wealth and attention back toward domestic pursuits; aristocratic collections, gentlemanly libraries, and cabinets of curiosity were flourishing; and the city’s…
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On December 5, 1848, President James K. Polk delivered a message to Congress that changed the nation forever. He said gold had been found in California. His declaration set in motion one of the most transformative episodes in American history: the California Gold Rush.…
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In the winter of 1861, as the Union cracked under the pressure of secession and the first year of civil war drew to a close, the Confederate States of America undertook a ritual of nationhood it hoped would signal permanence. On December 4, 1861,…
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On December 4, 1783, General George Washington stood before his officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York City to bid them farewell. The event marked the end of the American Revolutionary War and symbolized the transition from a nation in conflict to one embarking…
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