We’ve finally hit the December 20s! And, you know what that means. The festivities are officially in the air, and we’re all just counting down the days to big dinners, festive music, and ugly sweaters. But, don’t look too quickly to the holidays, and consider all of the other things that make December special. For example, here are some of the most interesting things about December 20th.
On this day
1Vespasian's troops took Rome.
On 20 December 69, troops loyal to Vespasian fought their way into Rome and killed the emperor Vitellius, ending the ‘Year of the Four Emperors’. Vespasian went on to found the Flavian dynasty and begin building the Colosseum.
2The Knights of Rhodes surrendered
In 1522, Suleiman the Magnificent accepted the surrender of the surviving Knights of Rhodes. They were then allowed to evacuate. They eventually settled in Malta and became known as the Knights of Malta.
3Russia moved New Year to 1 January.
On 20 December 1699, Tsar Peter the Great ordered that the New Year would begin on 1 January, rather than 1 September, starting in 1700.
4The flag lowering marked the Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, the French flag was lowered in New Orleans. This marked the formal transfer of the Louisiana Purchase from France to the USA. It was purchased for a cool $15 million.
5Cheka was formed
In 1917, Cheka was formed. The Soviet state security force and forerunner to the KGB was formed under Felix Dzerzhinsky after a decree by Lenin. However, Russian history was only going to get more complex and controversial from there.
Special Days Falling on December 20th
Having officially hit the 20s of December, we know that you will likely already be tied up with celebrations. However, there are so many important celebrations taking place around the world today, we thought you should know about a few of them.
Macao SARE Day
Macao SARE Day is observed every December 20th. Since 1999, Macao SARE Day, which is also known as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, or ‘Dia Comemorativo do estabelecimento da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau’ in Portuguese. It commemorates the day that the Chinese government claimed official sovereignty over Macao in 1999.
Mudd Day
Dr Samuel Mudd, born on 20 December 1833, set the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth after Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Mudd was convicted of conspiracy and sent to prison, but was pardoned in 1869.
Sacagawea Day
Sacagawea Day is also celebrated on December 20th every year. The day honors Sacagawea, the daughter of a Shoshone chief and part of the Lemhi band of the Shoshone tribe. At the age of 16, she acted as an interpreter for an expedition exploring the Louisiana Territory – the day honors and remembers her bravery and expertise.
This month in history
Band Aid topped the charts. In December 1984, Do They Know It’s Christmas? by Band Aid, organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia, went to number one and became the UK’s best-selling single at the time.
Famous Birthdays on December 20th
- Harvey Firestone, American tyre manufacturer, born 1868
- Kanichi Asakawa, Japanese historian, writer, and peace activist, born 1873
- Peter Criss, KISS drummer, born 1945
- Dick Wolf, American TV producer, born 1946
- Jonah Hill, American actor, born 1983
If you were born on December 20th
…you’re a Sagittarius! You’re very smart, although you can let your own ego cloud your judgment at times. Remember to remain calm, and you’ll walk through anything if you need to! And, you can walk right on over to our Sagittarius facts page to learn more!
Our guide to your star sign helps you break down what makes you tick, and might even help you navigate the wild and wonderful world of horoscopes. Want to know what lies in store for you? Take a look at our fact file to get started.
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