December 11 facts for kids

December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 20 days remain until the end of the year.

Welcome to the special events of December 11th! This day in history has seen many important moments, from ancient empires changing hands to modern inventions and global agreements. Let's explore some of the exciting and significant things that happened on this date throughout the centuries.

Exciting Events Through History

Ancient Times and Middle Ages

• 220 – The long-lasting Han dynasty in China comes to an end when Emperor Xian of Han gives up his throne to Cao Pi. This was a big change in Chinese history!
• 361 – Julian becomes the only Roman Emperor and enters Constantinople, a very important city.
• 969 – Nikephoros II Phokas, the Byzantine Emperor, loses his power. His wife, Theophano, and her friend, who later became Emperor John I Tzimiskes, were involved.
• 1041 – Michael V Kalaphates is named emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. He was the adopted son of Empress Zoë Porphyrogenita.
• 1282 – In the Battle of Orewin Bridge, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales, is killed near Builth Wells in mid-Wales. This was a sad day for Wales.

From the 1600s to the 1900s

• 1602 – The people of Geneva bravely defend their city from a surprise attack led by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, and Philip III of Spain. This event is still celebrated today!
• 1688 – During the Glorious Revolution, James II of England tries to escape to France. He throws the important Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames before leaving.
• 1792 – During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI of France faces serious charges from the National Convention.
• 1815 – The U.S. Senate creates a special committee to handle money matters and a national currency. This committee is still very important today.
• 1816 – Indiana officially becomes the 19th U.S. state.
• 1868 – In the Paraguayan War, Brazilian troops win a battle against the Paraguayan Army at the Battle of Avay.
• 1899 – During the Second Boer War, the Boer forces, led by General Piet Cronjé, defeat the British Empire troops at the Battle of Magersfontein.

Modern Times (1901–Present)

• 1901 – Guglielmo Marconi sends the very first radio signal across the Atlantic Ocean! It went from Poldhu, England, all the way to Saint John's, Newfoundland. This was a huge step for communication.
• 1907 – The New Zealand Parliament Buildings are almost completely destroyed by a large fire.
• 1913 – More than two years after it was stolen, Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, the Mona Lisa, is found in Florence, Italy. The thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, is quickly arrested.
• 1917 – During World War I, British General Edmund Allenby enters Jerusalem and declares emergency rule.
• 1920 – In the Irish War of Independence, conflict leads to many buildings being burned and looted in Cork city by British forces.
• 1931 – The Statute of Westminster 1931 is passed, making the UK and its Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada equal in law.
• 1936 – Edward VIII officially gives up his role as King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India.
• 1941 – During World War II, Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, and the U.S. declares war back on them.
• 1946 – The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is created to help children around the world.
• 1958 – French Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and French Dahomey (now Benin) gain self-government from France.
• 1972 – Apollo 17 becomes the sixth and final Apollo mission to land on the Moon. This was the last time humans walked on the Moon!
• 1978 – The Lufthansa heist takes place, which was the largest cash robbery in American history at that time.
• 1994 – During the First Chechen War, Russian President Boris Yeltsin sends Russian troops into Chechnya.
• 1997 – The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to fight climate change, is opened for countries to sign.
• 2001 – China officially joins the World Trade Organization (WTO), a big step for global trade.
• 2009 – The popular mobile game Angry Birds is released internationally by Finnish game developer Rovio Entertainment.
• 2019 – The results of the 2019 Bougainvillean independence referendum are announced. Over 98% of voters chose for Bougainville to become independent.
• 2020 – The Food and Drug Administration approves the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. This was the first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved.

Famous People Born on This Day

• 1475 – Pope Leo X, an important leader of the Catholic Church.
• 1725 – George Mason, an American lawyer and politician who helped shape the early United States.
• 1781 – David Brewster, a Scottish physicist and inventor known for his work with light.
• 1803 – Hector Berlioz, a famous French composer who wrote amazing music.
• 1843 – Robert Koch, a German microbiologist who won a Nobel Prize for his discoveries about diseases.
• 1863 – Annie Jump Cannon, an American astronomer who classified many stars.
• 1882 – Max Born, a German physicist and mathematician who won a Nobel Prize.
• 1889 – Walter Knott, an American farmer who founded the famous theme park Knott's Berry Farm.
• 1911 – Naguib Mahfouz, an Egyptian author who won the Nobel Prize for his writing.
• 1918 – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Russian writer and historian who also won the Nobel Prize.
• 1931 – Rita Moreno, a talented Puerto Rican actress, singer, and dancer.
• 1935 – Pranab Mukherjee, who became the 13th President of India.
• 1943 – John Kerry, an American politician who served as the 68th United States Secretary of State.
• 1954 – Jermaine Jackson, an American singer and musician, famous as part of the Jackson 5.
• 1969 – Viswanathan Anand, a brilliant Indian chess player.
• 1974 – Rey Mysterio, a well-known American professional wrestler.
• 1996 – Hailee Steinfeld, an American actress, singer, and songwriter.

Notable People Who Passed Away on This Day

• 384 – Pope Damasus I, an early leader of the Catholic Church.
• 1198 – Averroes, a Spanish scholar who was a great astronomer, physicist, and philosopher.
• 1241 – Ögedei Khan, a powerful Mongolian emperor.
• 1282 – Michael VIII Palaiologos, a Byzantine emperor.
• 1880 – Oliver Winchester, an American businessman who founded the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, known for its firearms.
• 1909 – Ludwig Mond, a German-born chemist and industrialist who made important discoveries in chemistry.
• 1938 – Christian Lous Lange, a Norwegian historian who won the Nobel Peace Prize.
• 1964 – Sam Cooke, a famous American singer-songwriter.
• 1971 – Maurice McDonald, one of the brothers who co-founded the fast-food chain McDonald's.
• 2012 – Ravi Shankar, a world-famous Indian sitar player and composer.
• 2021 – Anne Rice, a popular American author.
• 2023 – Andre Braugher, an American actor.

Special Days and Celebrations

• Christian feast day:

* Daniel the Stylite * Pope Damasus I

• Indiana Day (United States) – Celebrating the day Indiana became a state.
• International Mountain Day – A day to appreciate and learn about mountains around the world.
• National Tango Day (Argentina) – A day to celebrate the beautiful dance and music of tango.
• Republic Day (Burkina Faso) – Marks the day Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in 1958.

Images for kids

• 

  The famous Mona Lisa painting, recovered on this day in 1913.

See also

In Spanish: 11 de diciembre para niños