What are the important events that happened on December 8? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
December 8: Facts & Myths About This Day
December 8 is the 343rd day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 23 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Sunday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is November 25, 2024 – a Sunday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 28,893,600 minutes has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘trihectatetracontatrigon’ day.
Sagittarius is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Turquoise is the modern birthstone for this month. Onyx is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 52 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,370 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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December 8 Historical Events
1912 –
Leaders of the German Empire hold an Imperial War Council to discuss the possibility that war might break out.
1914 –
A squadron of Britain’s Royal Navy defeats an inferior squadron of the Imperial German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.
1941 –
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares December 7 to be “a date which will live in infamy”, after which the U.S. and the Republic of China declare war against Japan.
1962 –
Workers at four New York City newspapers (this later increases to nine) go on strike for 114 days.
1974 –
A plebiscite results in the abolition of monarchy in Greece.
1980 –
John Lennon, an English musician (former member of The Beatles), and peace activist, is murdered by Mark David Chapman, a mentally unstable fan, in front of The Dakota apartment building in New York City.
1982 –
In Suriname, several opponents of the military government are killed.
1987 –
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is signed.
1993 –
The North American Free Trade Agreement is signed into law by US President Bill Clinton.
2010 –
With the second launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 and the first launch of the SpaceX Dragon, SpaceX becomes the first privately held company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.
Who were born on December 8?
1913 –
Delmore Schwartz, American poet (d. 1966)
1915 –
Ernest Lehman, American screenwriter (d. 2005)
1928 –
Bill Hewitt, Canadian sportscaster (d. 1996)
1974 –
Tony Simmons, American football player
1975 –
Jerrelle Clark, American wrestler
1977 –
Sébastien Chabal, French rugby union footballer
1978 –
John Oster, Welsh footballer
1979 –
Raymond Lam, Hong Kong actor and singer
1982 –
Alfredo Aceves, American baseball player
1983 –
Neel Jani, Swiss racing driver
Who died on December 8?
1632 –
Philippe van Lansberge, Flemish astronomer (b. 1561)
1744 –
Marie-Anne de Mailly-Nesle duchess de Châteauroux, mistress of King Louis XV of France (b. 1717)
1907 –
Oscar II of Sweden (b. 1829)
1917 –
Mendele Moykher Sforim, Russian writer (b. 1836)
1954 –
Gladys George, American stage and screen actress
1978 –
Golda Meir, Russian-born Prime Minister of Israel (b. 1898)
1982 –
Bram Behr, Surinamese journalist (b. 1951)
1983 –
Slim Pickens, American actor (b. 1919)
2000 –
Milić od Mačve, Serbian painter and artist (b. 1934)
2001 –
Don Tennant, American advertising executive (b. 1922)
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