1947 – The transistor is first demonstrated at Bell Laboratories.

1913 – The Federal Reserve Act is signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, creating the Federal Reserve System.

1823 – A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas, is published anonymously.

1891 – Asteroid 323 Brucia becomes the first asteroid discovered using photography.

1808 – Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto (performed by Beethoven himself) and Choral Fantasy (with Beethoven at the piano).

1996 – NeXT merges with Apple Computer, starting the path to Mac OS X.

1951 – The EBR-1 in Arco, Idaho becomes the first nuclear power plant to generate electricity. The electricity powered four light bulbs.

1946 – The popular Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life is first released in New York, New York.

louisiana purchase.

Jenny Agutter born, 1952.

In 1777, Gen. George Washington led his army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, Pa., to camp for the winter.

On Dec. 19, 1843, "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens, was first published in England.

 Clinton was impeached, 1998

 ScottN wrote: 

Truer words.

 Red_Dragon wrote:What an enigma Gorbachev seems, imo, to be.  Personally, I hope history treats him kindly (knowing ALMOST all "world leaders are to some degree, criminals). 

1986 – Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, releases Andrei Sakharov and his wife from exile in Gorky.

1972 – Apollo program: The last manned lunar flight, Apollo 17, crewed by Eugene Cernan, Ron Evans and Harrison Schmitt, returns to Earth.

1924 – The last Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is sold in London, England, United Kingdom.

1606 – The Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery depart England carrying settlers who found, at Jamestown, Virginia, the first of the thirteen colonies that became the United States.