1558 – Calais, which was the last of England’s continental possessions, was taken by France.

1785 – Jean-Pierre Blanchard from France and John Jeffries from American used a hot air balloon to travel from Dover, England, to Calais, France.

1797 – Italy first used the modern Italian flag design.

1929 – The comic strip Buck Rogers 2429 AD first appeared in newspapers across the United States. Later, the title of the strip was changed to Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

1940 – On this day during the Winter War, the Finnish army has a major victory along the Raate-Suomussalmi road against the Soviets.

1953 – US President Harry Truman announces that the nation has decided to develop the hydrogen bomb, or H-bomb, following a successful test a few months earlier in the Pacific Ocean.

1941 – Richard Widmark, who would go on to be a renowned Broadway actor and film star, made his debut on the radio on this date in the program “The Home of the Brave.”

1945 – The Battle of the Bulge, one of the major battles in World War II, ended on this date with combined casualties on both sides reaching more than 200,000 soldiers.

1955 – Singer Marian Anderson becomes the first black performer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

2010 – The Apple company releases the first version of its iPad tablet.

Famous Birthdays

1800 – Millard Fillmore, 18th United States President
1831 – Zora Neale Hurston, American folklorist anthropologist and author (Their Eyes Were Watching God)
1844 – Bernadette Soubirous, Christian mystic and Saint in the Catholic Church
1945 – Raila Odinga, Kenyan politician who became Prime Minister of Kenya

1948 – Kenny Loggins, American singer and songwriter (Footloose, Danger Zone)
1952 – Sammo Hung, Hong Kong actor martial artist film producer and director
1957 – Katie Couric, American journalist author and talk show host (20/20, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News)
1963 – Rand Paul, American politician, junior US Senator for Kentucky
1964 – Nicolas Cage, American actor (National Treasure, Leaving Las Vegas, Gone in 60 Seconds)
1966 – Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, wife of John F. Kennedy, Jr.