On This Day — 21 December

2000s

2023

Fourteen people are killed and 25 others injured during a mass shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.

2023 Prague shootings

2020

A great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurs, with the two planets separated in the sky by 0.1 degrees. This is the closest conjunction between the two planets since 1623.

Great conjunction

2012

2012 phenomenon: Festivities are held in parts of Mesoamerica to commemorate the conclusion of b'ak'tun 13, a roughly 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar whose passing many New Age spiritualists had earlier held to portend a variety of cataclysmic or transformative events.

2012 phenomenon

2004

Iraq War: A suicide bomber kills 22 at the forward operating base next to the main U.S. military airfield at Mosul, Iraq, the single deadliest suicide attack on American soldiers in Iraq.

Iraq War

1900s

1999

The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.

Civil Guard (Spain)

1999

Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216 overshoots the runway at La Aurora International Airport, killing 18.

Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216

1995

The city of Bethlehem passes from Israeli to Palestinian control.

Bethlehem

1992

A Dutch DC-10, flight Martinair MP 495, crashes at Faro Airport, Portugal, killing 56.

Netherlands

1991

Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The leaders of 11 now effectively autonomous Soviet republics sign the Alma-Ata Protocol establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the collapsing Soviet Union.

Dissolution of the Soviet Union

1988

A bomb explodes on board Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, killing 270. This is to date the deadliest air disaster to occur on British soil.

Pan Am Flight 103

1979

Lancaster House Agreement: An independence agreement for Rhodesia is signed in London by Lord Carrington, Sir Ian Gilmour, Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Bishop Abel Muzorewa and S.C. Mundawarara.

Lancaster House Agreement

📅

1973

The Geneva Conference on the Arab–Israeli conflict opens.

Geneva Conference (1973)

1968

Apollo program: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew on a lunar trajectory for the first visit to another celestial body by humans.

Apollo program

📅

1967

Louis Washkansky, the first man to undergo a human-to-human heart transplant, dies in Cape Town, South Africa, having lived for 18 days after the transplant.

Louis Washkansky

1965

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is adopted.

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

📅

1963

"Bloody Christmas" begins in Cyprus, ultimately resulting in the displacement of 25,000–30,000 Turkish Cypriots and destruction of more than 100 villages.

Bloody Christmas (1963)

📅

1946

An 8.1 Mw earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Nankaidō, Japan, kills over 1,300 people and destroys over 38,000 homes.

Moment magnitude scale

1941

World War II: A Thai-Japanese Pact of Alliance is signed.

World War II

1934

Lieutenant Kijé, one of Sergei Prokofiev's best-known works, premiered.

Lieutenant Kijé (Prokofiev)

1923

United Kingdom and Nepal formally sign an agreement of friendship, called the Nepal–Britain Treaty of 1923, which superseded the Treaty of Sugauli signed in 1816.

Nepal

📅

1919

American anarchist Emma Goldman is deported to Russia.

Anarchism

1910

An underground explosion at the Hulton Bank Colliery No. 3 Pit in Over Hulton, Westhoughton, England, kills 344 miners.

Pretoria Pit disaster

1907

The Chilean Army commits a massacre of at least 2,000 striking saltpeter miners in Iquique, Chile.

Chilean Army

1800s

1883

The Royal Canadian Dragoons and The Royal Canadian Regiment, the first Permanent Force cavalry and infantry regiments of the Canadian Army, are formed.

Royal Canadian Dragoons

1879

the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre.

Nora Helmer

1872

Challenger expedition: HMS Challenger, commanded by Captain George Nares, sails from Portsmouth, England.

Challenger expedition

1861

Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln.

Medal of Honor

📅

1844

The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers commences business at its cooperative in Rochdale, England, starting the Cooperative movement.

Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers

1832

Egyptian–Ottoman War: Egyptian forces decisively defeat Ottoman troops at the Battle of Konya.

Egyptian–Ottoman War (1831–1833)

1826

American settlers in Nacogdoches, Mexican Texas, declare their independence, starting the Fredonian Rebellion.

Nacogdoches, Texas

Before 1800

1620

Plymouth Colony: William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land near what is now known as Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Plymouth Colony

📅

1598

Battle of Curalaba: The revolting Mapuche, led by cacique Pelentaru, inflict a major defeat on Spanish troops in southern Chile.

Battle of Curalaba

1361

The Battle of Linuesa is fought in the context of the Spanish Reconquista between the forces of the Emirate of Granada and the combined army of the Kingdom of Castile and of Jaén resulting in a Castilian victory.

Battle of Linuesa