Historical Events
- 1520 Martin Luther publicly burns papal edict demanding he recant
- 1684 Isaac Newton's derivation of Kepler's laws from his theory of gravity, contained in the paper De motu corporum in gyrum, is read to the Royal Society by Edmond Halley
- 1799 Metric system first adopted in France
- 1901 First Nobel Peace Prizes awarded to Red Cross founder Jean Henri Dunant and peace activist Frederic Passy
- 1936 Edward VIII signs Instrument of Abdication, giving up the British throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson
- 1964 Nobel Peace Prize presented to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Oslo, Norway
- More Historical Events
Dec 10 in Film & TV
- 1962 David Lean's film "Lawrence of Arabia", based on life of T. E. Lawrence and starring Peter O'Toole, premieres at Odeon Leicester Square (Academy Awards Best Picture 1963)
Dec 10 in Music
- 2016 Bob Dylan is awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden; he does not attend
Dec 10 in Sport
- 1831 "Spirit of the Times" begins publishing in New York City, the premier sports journal of the 19th century
Did You Know?
"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain is first published in the UK and Canada (US Feb 1885, due to printing error)
On December 10, 1884
William Lloyd Garrison
Ada Lovelace
Emily Dickinson
Victor McLaglen
Nelly Sachs
Joe BurrowWould You Believe?
The "Great Emu War" ends: Emu's surprising resilience to bullets led to Emu victory over Australian military in Campion district, Western Australia
On December 10, 1932
Famous Weddings
- 1843 Author and religious leader Mary Baker Eddy (22) weds building contractor George Washington Glover (32) in Tilton, New Hampshire
- 1947 American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald (30) weds American jazz bass player Ray Brown (21); divorce in 1953
- 1961 Dr Ruth marries Fred Westheimer
Famous Divorces
- 1997 Motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel (59) divorces Linda Joan Bork after 38 years of marriage
More Weddings & Divorces
Alfred Nobel
Mackenzie Bowell
Walter Johnson
Otis Redding
Richard Pryor
Augusto PinochetArticles, Photos and Quiz
Explosive Background to the Nobel Prize
Albert Nobel died on this day. His unique Nobel Prize legacy rewarded pioneers in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace, and economics.
December 10, 1896
King Abdicates for Love of Wallis Simpson
On this day King Edward VIII gave up his throne so that he could marry the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson. It was the first time a British king had abdicated.
December 10, 1936
Roger the Ripped Kangaroo
Roger poses for the camera
December 10, 2018
Weekly Quiz for December 9 - 15
Which country was Lech Wałęsa elected President of? Which British monarch abdicated their throne in 1936? Who headed the 1st expedition to the South Pole?
