December 16: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

The EU signed a contract to build an $11 billion satellite network to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Mariah Carey’s single “All I Want for Christmas Is You” reached number one, 25 years after its release.

The US State Department increased the reward for information on the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to $25 million.

The mayor of Flint, Michigan, declared a state of emergency over contaminated water.

The city, which the mayor declared was "experiencing a man-made disaster," changed water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. The thing is, the Flint River had been avoided as a water source since the 1960s, as it was full of industrial pollutants.

The name “Euro” was officially adopted for European Currency.

O.J. Simpson became the first NFL running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

“Jingle Bells” became the first song played in space when it was broadcast during NASA’s Gemini 6 space flight.

James Lord Pierpont wrote the song in 1857, and it was originally titled "One-Horse Open Sleigh."

“Lawrence of Arabia” film directed by David Lean, was released in the United States.

German armies took Allied forces by surprise in the Ardennes, marking the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge.

The Anglo-Irish Treaty, agreed to by the British Parliament and Sinn Féin, was ratified.

The Great White Fleet began its worldwide navigation.

In order to demonstrate the US's new presence as a world power, President Theodore Roosevelt made a round-the-world cruise in a group of US Navy battleships, making friendly courtesy visits to many international ports.

Virginia became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.

The Boston Tea Party protest occurred.

As a political protest against the Tea Act and opposition of the taxes, American Patriots destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company. Damage amounted to 92,000 pounds of tea - equivalent to $1,700,000 as of 2020.

Vasco da Gama became the first European to sail along Africa’s East Coast.

After nearly six months of sailing, this Portuguese navigator passed Eastern Cape, South Africa. Due to it almost being Christmas, da Gama named it "Natal," which means "birth of Christ" in Portuguese.