December 16 facts for kids

December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 15 days remain until the end of the year.

December 16th is a day packed with exciting events from history! From big battles and important discoveries to the birthdays of famous people, let's explore what makes this day special.

Historical Events

Early History (Before 1600)

• 714 – Pepin of Herstal, a powerful leader in the Frankish Kingdom, passed away. His young grandson, Theudoald, took over, but Pepin's wife, Plectrude, held the real power.
• 755 – A big rebellion, called the An Lushan Rebellion, started in China. It was led by An Lushan against the Tang dynasty government.
• 1431 – During the Hundred Years' War, Henry VI of England was crowned King of France in Paris.
• 1497 – The famous explorer Vasco da Gama sailed past the Great Fish River in southern Africa. This was a big step on his journey around Africa to India.
• 1575 – A very strong earthquake hit Valdivia, Chile.
• 1598 – The Seven-Year War ended with the Battle of Noryang. The combined forces of China and Korea won a major victory against the Japanese navy.

Later History (1601–1900)

• 1653 – Oliver Cromwell became the Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland. This was a time when England was not ruled by a king.
• 1707 – Mount Fuji, a famous volcano in Japan, had its most recent big eruption.
• 1773 – The American Revolution was brewing! In the famous Boston Tea Party, American colonists dressed as Native Americans dumped many crates of tea into Boston Harbor. This was a protest against unfair taxes from Britain.
• 1777 – Virginia became the first state to officially agree to the Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States.
• 1838 – In South Africa, the Battle of Blood River took place. Voortrekkers (Dutch settlers) fought against the Zulu warriors and won.
• 1864 – During the American Civil War, the Battle of Nashville was fought. The Union army won a big victory, which greatly weakened the Confederate army.
• 1880 – The First Boer War began in South Africa, a conflict between the Dutch settlers (Boers) and the British Empire.
• 1882 – The first international rugby match between Wales and England was played.

Modern History (1901–Present)

• 1914 – In World War I, German ships attacked the English towns of Scarborough, Hartlepool, and Whitby.
• 1920 – A massive earthquake in China killed an estimated 200,000 people.
• 1942 – During The Holocaust, Heinrich Himmler ordered that Roma people be sent to Auschwitz.
• 1944 – World War II: The Battle of the Bulge began. This was a surprise attack by the German army through the Ardennes forest.
• 1960 – Two airplanes, a United Airlines plane and a TWA plane, crashed into each other over New York City. All 128 people on board both planes died, along with six people on the ground.
• 1971 – The Bangladesh Liberation War ended when the Pakistan Army surrendered. This led to the creation of Bangladesh and is celebrated as Victory Day in Bangladesh and India.
• 1971 – The United Kingdom recognized Bahrain's independence, which is now celebrated as Bahrain's National Day.
• 1986 – Protests known as Jeltoqsan broke out in Kazakhstan when a local leader was replaced by someone from Russia.
• 1989 – The Romanian Revolution began with protests in Timișoara, Romania, against the government's attempt to remove a religious leader.
• 2022 – A terrible landslide happened at a camp in Malaysia, trapping many people and unfortunately killing 31.

Famous Birthdays

• 1485 – Catherine of Aragon, a Spanish princess who became Queen of England.
• 1770 – Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most famous composers of all time.
• 1775 – Jane Austen, a famous English novelist who wrote books like Pride and Prejudice.
• 1863 – George Santayana, a Spanish philosopher, novelist, and poet.
• 1866 – Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian-French painter known for his abstract art.
• 1901 – Margaret Mead, an American anthropologist who studied different cultures.
• 1917 – Arthur C. Clarke, an English science fiction writer who wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey.
• 1928 – Philip K. Dick, an American author whose science fiction stories inspired many movies.
• 1932 – Quentin Blake, a famous English author and illustrator, known for his work with Roald Dahl.
• 1946 – Benny Andersson, a Swedish musician and songwriter, famous for being part of the band ABBA.
• 1949 – Billy Gibbons, an American singer and guitarist from the band ZZ Top.
• 1981 – Krysten Ritter, an American actress and musician.
• 1988 – Mats Hummels, a German footballer.
• 1988 – Anna Popplewell, an English actress known for her role in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Notable Deaths

• 705 – Wu Zetian, a powerful Empress of China.
• 1598 – Yi Sun-sin, a brave Korean general who fought against Japanese invasions.
• 1859 – Wilhelm Grimm, a German anthropologist and author, famous for collecting fairy tales with his brother.
• 1921 – Camille Saint-Saëns, a French composer and conductor.
• 1980 – Colonel Sanders, the American businessman who founded KFC.
• 1982 – Colin Chapman, an English engineer who founded Lotus Cars.
• 2009 – Roy E. Disney, an American businessman and nephew of Walt Disney.

Holidays and Celebrations

• Day of Reconciliation (South Africa): A day to promote national unity and reconciliation.
• Independence Day (Kazakhstan): Celebrates Kazakhstan becoming independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.
• National Day (Bahrain): Celebrates Bahrain becoming an independent country in 1971.
• Victory Day (Bangladesh and India): Celebrates the victory that led to the independence of Bangladesh.
• Las Posadas (Mexico, Latin America): The first day of a nine-day celebration leading up to Christmas, remembering Mary and Joseph's search for shelter.
• Simbang Gabi (Philippines): The first day of a series of special masses leading up to Christmas.

See also

In Spanish: 16 de diciembre para niños