On This Day

What Happened on December 6

Important Events

  • 1240 Mongols under Batu Khan occupy and destroy Kiev; out of 50,000 people in the city only 2,000 survive
  • 1865 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution is ratified, abolishing slavery
  • 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty signed; Ireland receives dominion status; partition creates Northern Ireland
  • 1998 Hugo Chávez is elected President of Venezuela
  • 2006 NASA reveals photographs taken by Mars Global Surveyor suggesting the presence of liquid water on Mars
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December 6 in Film & TV

December 6 in Music

  • 1969 300,000 attend Altamont free concert in California, featuring The Rolling Stones. Marred by violence and four deaths.

December 6 in Sport

  • 1992 San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice catches NFL record 101st touchdown in a 27-3 win over Miami Dolphins at Candlestick Park

Did You Know?

1st edition of "Encyclopedia Brittanica" published in Scotland

On December 6, 1768

Famous Birthdays

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Would You Believe?

Thomas Edison records himself reciting "Mary had a little lamb"

On December 6, 1877

Famous Weddings

  • 1491 King Charles VIII of France marries Anna of Bretagne
  • 1930 Pablo Neruda marries Marie A Hagenaar Vogelzang in Batavia
  • 1941 King Leopold of Belgium marries Lilian Baels

Famous Divorces

  • 1938 Actress Bette Davis (30) divorces musician Harmon Nelson (31) due to cruel and inhuman manner after more than 6 years of marriage
  • 1982 US Senator Ted & Joan Kennedy divorce
  • 1988 Actor and comedian Robin Williams (37) divorces Valerie Velardi after 10 years of marriage
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Famous Deaths

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December in History

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