It’s beginning to look a lot like… the perfect day to learn some facts! But, in the spirit of the holiday season, let’s focus on December. In fact, let’s focus on this very day! Here are some of the most important things to know about December 13th.
On this day
1Francis Drake set sail.
In 1577, famed explorer Francis Drake first set sail from a port in England to circumnavigate the world for three years – on board his Pelican – not a bird, the name of his boat! He’d later rename it to the Golden Hind.
2New Zealand was spotted for the first time.
In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman spotted the South Island of what we now know today as New Zealand. Originally, he called it Staten Landt. However, the name was changed a year later to Nieuw Zeeland. The name’s stuck, albeit the spelling has changed a little!
3The Permanent Court of International Justice was founded.
On 13 December 1920, the League of Nations approved the founding of the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague. It was replaced in 1946 by the UN’s International Court of Justice.
4New members joined the EU.
In 2002, the European Union announced that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia would become members. They officially became members on May 1st, 2004.
5Saddam Hussein was captured.
On 13 December 2003, US forces found Saddam Hussein hiding in a hole near his home town of Tikrit, Iraq. He was tried by an Iraqi court for crimes against humanity and hanged in December 2006.
Special Days Falling on December 13th
December 13th may not seem like much of a day for celebration, but, according to various people all over the world, it is a pretty important date! Here are some of the reasons why.
Malta Republic Day
On 13 December 1974, Malta became a republic, replacing the Queen as head of state. Republic Day is a public holiday. Freedom Day is a separate holiday, on 31 March.
St Lucia's Day
On 13 December, Sweden, Norway and Finland celebrate St Lucia’s Day, honouring a young Christian martyr from Syracuse in Sicily. Girls dressed in white lead candlelit processions, wearing crowns of candles, at the darkest time of the year.
National Horse Day
Time to saddle up! National Horse Day is celebrated annually on December 13th. It’s a day to remember and honor the economic, historic, and cultural contributions that horses have made over the centuries and millennia! Whether you love horses or not, you cannot deny how important they have been and remain for people all over the world. If you have a horse of your own, give them a veggie treat or two and show them how much you love them!
This month in history
Rwanda began its genocide trials. On 27 December 1996, the first trials of people accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide, in which around 800,000 people, mostly Tutsi, were murdered, began in Rwanda.
Famous Birthdays on December 13th
- Erik XIV, King of Sweden, born 1533
- Mary Todd Lincoln, American wife of Abraham Lincoln and US First Lady, born 1818
- Dick Van Dyke, American actor and entertainer, born 1925
- Jamie Foxx, American actor, born 1967
- Taylor Swift, American musician, born 1989
If you were born on December 13th
…you’re a Sagittarius! You’re honest, funny, and pretty idealistic! However, you can also be pretty blunt and careless when you’re not careful. So, best be on the safe side and head over to our Sagittarius facts page to learn more!
You never know – you might learn something new about your personality and strengths – so if you’re in need of a bit of a confidence or self-esteem boost, head on over to our facts about Sagittarius page, and we’ll give you some more details.
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