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.
 

 
24 December, 2003
The Spanish police thwart an attempt by ETA to detonate 50 kg of explosives at 3:55 p.m. inside Madrids busy Chamartín Station.
24 December, 2002
The New Delhi Metro opens.
24 December, 2000
The Texas 7 holds up a sports store in Irving, Texas. Police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot during the robbery.
24 December, 1997
The Sid El-Antri massacre (or Sidi Lamri) in Algeria kills 50-100 people.
24 December, 1997
The Dominican Republic becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty.
24 December, 1987
Japanese legendary rock band BOØWY declares their breakup at the Shibuya Kokaido.
24 December, 1979
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan to support the countrys Marxist government.
24 December, 1979
The first European Ariane rocket is launched.
24 December, 1974
Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin, Australia.
24 December, 1968
The crew of the USS Pueblo is released by North Korea after being held for 11 months on suspicion of spying.
24 December, 1968
Apollo Program: The crew of Apollo 8 enter into orbit around the Moon, becoming the first humans to do so. They performed 10 lunar orbits and broadcast live TV pictures that became the famous Christmas Eve Broadcast, one of the most watched programs in history.
24 December, 1966
A Canadair CL-44 chartered by the United States military crashes into a small village in South Vietnam, killing 129.
24 December, 1954
Laos becomes independent.
24 December, 1953
Tangiwai disaster: A railway bridge collapse at Tangiwai, New Zealand sends a fully loaded passenger train into the Whangaehu River, killing 153 people.
24 December, 1953
NBCs Dragnet becomes the first network-sponsored television program.
24 December, 1951
Libya becomes independent from Italy. Idris I is proclaimed King of Libya.
24 December, 1946
Frances Fourth Republic founded.
24 December, 1943
World War II: U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the Supreme Allied Commander.
24 December, 1942
World War II: French monarchist, Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle, assassinates Vichy French Admiral François Darlan in Algiers
24 December, 1941
World War II: Hong Kong falls to the Japanese Imperial Army.
24 December, 1941
World War II: Kuching is conquered by Japanese forces.
24 December, 1939
World War II: Pope Pius XII makes a Christmas Eve appeal for peace.
24 December, 1929
Assassination attempt of Argentine President Hipólito Yrigoyen.
24 December, 1924
Albania becomes a republic.
24 December, 1914
World War I: The "Christmas truce" begins.
24 December, 1906
Radio: Reginald Fessenden transmitted the first radio broadcast. The first program, consisted of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech.
24 December, 1888
Vincent Van Gogh cuts off his ear during some sort of seizure.
24 December, 1865
Several US Civil War Confederate veterans form the Ku Klux Klan.
24 December, 1851
Library of Congress burns.
24 December, 1818
"Silent Night" composed by Franz Xaver Gruber and Josef Mohr.
24 December, 1814
The Treaty of Ghent was signed which ended the War of 1812.
24 December, 1800
Assassination attempt on Napoleon Bonapartes life.
24 December, 1777
Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, was discovered by James Cook.
24 December, 1515
Thomas Wolsey is named the English Lord Chancellor.
24 December, 1294
Pope Boniface VIII is elected Pope, replacing St. Celestine V, who had abdicated.
24 December, 640
John IV becomes Pope.
24 December, 563
The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is inaugurated for the second time after being destroyed by earthquakes.

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

Christmas Quizzes

Copyright © 2008 - Paul Abrook and Dave Small
RSS Feed RSS Feed | Free Quiz Questions | Pub Quiz Questions - at our Sister site