Events in History
Murder of Interest
Dec 2 Abolitionist John Brown hanged for murder, treason, and conspiring slaves to revolt at Charles Town, Virginia
John Brown
- Dec 15 GR Kirchoff describes chemical composition of the Sun
Birthdays in History
Georges Seurat
Dec 2 Georges Seurat, French post-impressionist painter (A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte), born in Paris, France (d. 1891)
Georges Seurat
John Jellicoe
Dec 5 John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, British Admiral of the Fleet in World War I (Battle of Jutland), born in Southampton, England (d. 1935)
John Jellicoe
- Dec 12 Maurice Donnay, French playwright (Lovers), born in Paris (d. 1945)
- Dec 15 L. L. Zamenhof, Polish physician and linguist (Esperanto), born in Białystok, Poland, Russian Empire (d. 1917)
- Dec 17 Paul César Helleu, French artist (d. 1927)
- Dec 20 Antonius Derkinderen, Dutch painter & artist, born in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (d. 1925)
- Dec 21 Gustave Kahn, French symbolist poet & art critic, born in Metz, France (d. 1936)
- Dec 26 Johan F van Bemmelen, Dutch zoologist
- Dec 26 William Stephens, U.S. political figure (d. 1944)
- Dec 28 John W Fortescue, British military historian and archivist at Windsor Castle, born in Madeira (d. 1933)
- Dec 29 Venustiano Carranza, Mexican revolutionary and President of Mexico (1915-20), born in Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, Mexico (d. 1920)
Deaths in History
John Brown
Dec 2 John Brown, American abolitionist and revolutionary (Harpers Ferry), hanged at 59
John Brown
- Dec 8 Thomas De Quincey, English writer (Confessions of English Opium Eater), dies at 74
Wilhelm Grimm
Dec 16 Wilhelm Grimm, German writer (Grimm's Fairy Tales), dies at 73
Wilhelm Grimm