Osun Defender History Corner: December 14 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashback and recall some events that marked this day.

December 14, 1542

Princess Mary Stuart becomes Queen of Scots at the age of six days.

December 14, 1799

George Washington, the first President of the United States, dies at Mount Vernon.

December 14, 1911

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen becomes the first person to reach the South Pole.

December 14, 1918

Women in the United Kingdom vote for the first time in a general election.

December 14, 1927

Iraq gains independence from the United Kingdom.

December 14, 1947

The United Nations General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

December 14, 1962

NASA’s Mariner 2 becomes the first spacecraft to fly by Venus.

December 14, 1964

Martin Luther King Jr. is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his civil rights leadership.

December 14, 1972

Apollo 17, the final Apollo moon mission, lands on the Moon.

December 14, 1973

Malta becomes a republic within the Commonwealth, with Sir Anthony Mamo as its first President.

December 14, 1981

Israel annexes the Golan Heights, seized from Syria during the Six-Day War.

December 14, 1985

Wilma Mankiller becomes the first woman to lead a major American Indian tribe as the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.

December 14, 1995

The Dayton Agreement is signed, bringing an end to the Bosnian War.

December 14, 1999

Torrential rains trigger landslides in Venezuela, leading to significant loss of life and property.

December 14, 2001

The Islamic extremist group Taliban announces the release of eight Western aid workers after they spent six months in captivity.

December 14, 2003

The Soham murder trial concludes in the United Kingdom with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder.

December 14, 2004

The Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world, is officially opened in France.

December 14, 2008

Bernie Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in connection with a massive Ponzi scheme.

December 14, 2012

A mass shooting occurs at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, resulting in the deaths of 26 people, including 20 children.

December 14, 2017

The Walt Disney Company acquires 21st Century Fox, consolidating various media assets.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on December 14. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.