Skip to content

Home arrow Trivia Resources arrow On this day in history

On this day in History Archives
 
At PaulsQuiz.com we aim to provide you with as much information as we possibly can. That's why we have built our On This Day in History section, to do just that. Our database is forever growing, we're adding more and more events from history to help you write your quiz questions.

Simply enter a date using the drop-down boxes below and click the 'Go' button to display events from the past that ocurred on that day.
 

 
16 December, 1998
Iraq disarmament crisis: Operation Desert Fox - The United States and United Kingdom bomb targets in Iraq.
16 December, 1991
United Nations General Assembly: UN General Assembly Resolution 4686 revokes UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 after Israel makes revocation of resolution 3379 a condition of its participation in the Madrid Peace Conference of 1991.
16 December, 1991
Independence of The Republic of Kazakhstan.
16 December, 1989
Protest breaks out in Timisoara in response to an attempt by the government to evict dissident Hungarian pastor, László Tokés.
16 December, 1986
revolt in Kazakhstan against Communist party, known as Zheltoksan, which became the first signs of ethnic strife during Gorbachevs tenure
16 December, 1985
Mafia: In New York City, Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are shot dead on the orders of John Gotti, who assumes leadership of the Gambino family.
16 December, 1973
O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills becomes the first NFL player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
16 December, 1971
Bangladesh War of Independence & Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The surrender of the Pakistan army simultaneously brings an end to both conflicts.
16 December, 1971
Independence Day of the State of Bahrain from British Protectorate Status
16 December, 1960
1960 New York air disaster: While approaching New Yorks Idlewild Airport, a United Airlines Douglas DC-8 collides with a TWA Lockheed Super Constellation in a blinding snowstorm over Staten Island, killing 134.
16 December, 1957
Sir Feroz Khan Noon replaces Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
16 December, 1946
Léon Blum becomes Prime Minister of France.
16 December, 1944
World War II: Battle of the Bulge - General Dwight D. Eisenhowers allied forces and Field Marshall Gerd von Rundstedts German army engage in the Belgian Ardennes.
16 December, 1942
Holocaust: Porajmos - Heinrich Himmler orders that Roma candidates for extermination should be deported to Auschwitz.
16 December, 1941
World War II: Japanese occupy Miri, Sarawak
16 December, 1937
Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe attempt to escape from the American federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay; neither is ever seen again.
16 December, 1925
A regular broadcasting service was instituted in Ceylon.
16 December, 1925
Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity was founded at Lafayette College.
16 December, 1922
President of Poland Gabriel Narutowicz is assassinated by Eligiusz Niewiadomski at the Zacheta Gallery in Warsaw.
16 December, 1910
During a ground test of his Coanda-1910 plane, Henri Coanda, caught unaware by the power of the engine, finds himself briefly airborne and loses control of the machine which crashes to the ground.
16 December, 1893
Antonín Dvoráks Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, "From The New World" was given its world premiere at Carnegie Hall.
16 December, 1864
American Civil War: Franklin-Nashville Campaign - Battle of Nashville - Major General George H. Thomass Union forces defeat Lieutenant General John Bell Hoods Confederate Army of Tennessee.
16 December, 1850
History of New Zealand: The Charlotte-Jane and the Randolph bring the first of the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton.
16 December, 1838
Battle of Blood River: Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius combat Zulu impis, led by Dambuza (Nzobo) and Ndlela kaSompisi in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
16 December, 1811
The first two in a series of severe earthquakes occurs, in the vicinity of New Madrid, Missouri.
16 December, 1773
American Revolution: Boston Tea Party - Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawks dump crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.
16 December, 1761
Seven Years War: After four-month siege, the Russians under Pyotr Rumyantsev take the Prussian fortress of Kolobrzeg.
16 December, 1707
Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan.
16 December, 1689
Convention Parliament: The Declaration of Right is embodied in the Bill of Rights.
16 December, 1653
English Interregnum: The Protectorate - Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland.
16 December, 1598
Seven Year War: Battle of Noryang Point - The final battle of the Seven Year War is fought between the Korean and Japanese navies, resulting in a decisive Korean victory.
16 December, 1497
Vasco da Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope, the point where Bartolomeu Dias had previously turned back to Portugal.
16 December, 1431
Henry VI of England is crowned King of France at Notre Dame in Paris.
16 December, 1392
Historku-cho - Emperor Go-Kameyama abdicates in favor of rival claimant Go-Komatsu.
16 December, 755
An Lushan revolted against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, beginning of the An Shi Rebellion during the Tang Dynasty of China.

Choose another day in history

January

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

February

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29

March

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

April

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30

May

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

June

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30

July

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

August

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

September

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30

October

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

November

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30

December

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

PaulsQuiz.com Exclusive: Free Questions in Your Inbox

Join the PaulsQuiz.com Facebook Group
Copyright © 2008 - Paul Abrook and Dave Small
RSS Feed RSS Feed | Free Quiz Questions | Pub Quiz Questions - at our Sister site