The “Hollywood 10” were blacklisted by US movie studios. (1947) The 10 movie industry professionals were jailed after refusing to answer questions posed by the US Congress House Un-American Activities Committee regarding their alleged involvement in communist activities. They were the first of more than 100 industry professionals, including writers, directors, actors and musicians, to be blacklisted for suspected communist ties. Many were unable to work in their professions for years thereafter.
Dynamite was patented. (1867) The patent was issued to Alfred Nobel, a Swedish engineer and chemist. Nobel used the proceeds from his 355 patents to found the Nobel Prizes, which still are awarded today.
The Iran-Contra Affair was exposed. (1986) US Attorney General Edwin Meese and US President Ronald Reagan admitted that money secured from selling arms to Iran had been used to support Nicaraguan anti-communist rebels.
The longest-running play in history opened. (1952) The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie, opened in London at the Ambassadors Theatre. Its run continues to this day and has been seen by more than 10 million people.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was established. (1999) The United Nations designated the day partly in reverence to the anniversary of the murder of three sisters in the Dominican Republic. A report issued from the World Bank a few years earlier stated that about one in four women in the world would be, or had been, raped and that violence against women is as prevalent a cause of death as cancer.
The last British military installation in the US evacuated during the Revolutionary War. (1783) The war had effectively ended about three months earlier after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, but New York City remained occupied by British soldiers until this day. The British had captured the city in 1776.
The Martin B-26 Marauder and the deHavilland Mosquito fighter planes flew for the first time during World War II. (1940) The Mosquito, used by British forces, was the fastest airplane in the world at the time and was mainly made from laminated plywood. The Marauder was a US bomber plane that had fewer losses than any other US bomber throughout the war. Both planes were retired by the time the war ended.
The US political party known as the Greenback Party established. (1874) The political party formed in response to the “Panic of 1873,” when farmers were financially hurt by a reduction in the US money supply. “Greenbacks” was a reference to the paper money that was issued during and after the American Civil War; the party felt the paper money was more secure than the coin-based money supply that was being instituted. The party dissolved in 1884.
The song Do They Know It’s Christmas was recorded by Band Aid as a fundraiser to combat famine in Ethiopia. (1984) Band Aid was a music group of 36 musicians from Ireland and Britain. Studios helped the musicians out by giving them recording studio access free of charge. The recorded song was released four days later. It rose to the top of the music charts and ultimately became the most-sold single in the history of the UK.
The worst windstorm in the history of southern Great Britain peaked and ultimately killed more than 9,000 people. (1703) Called the “Great Storm of 1703,” the storm produced winds that topped 120 miles per hour (about 193 kilometers per hour). It lasted eight days and finally subsided on December 2.
A cyclone hit India, killing more than 300,000 people, making it one of the deadliest storms in world history. (1839) The cyclone produced a 40-foot (about 12-meter) storm surge and completely destroyed Coringa, India, along with 20,000 ships.