December 27 facts for kids

This article is about the 27th day of December.

December 27 is the 361st day of the year (362nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; four days remain until the end of the year.

Events that Shaped History

Early Times (Before 1600)

• 537 – The famous Hagia Sophia church in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) was officially opened for the second time. It's a very old and important building!
• 1512 – The Spanish government created the Laws of Burgos. These rules were meant to guide how Spanish settlers should treat the native people in the New World (the Americas).
• 1521 – The Zwickau prophets, a group of religious reformers, arrived in Wittenberg, Germany. They caused some trouble by preaching about the end of the world.

From 1600 to 1900

• 1655 – During a big war, monks at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Poland successfully defended their monastery from a month-long attack. It was a very important victory for them!
• 1657 – The Flushing Remonstrance was written in North America. It was one of the first times people clearly stated that everyone should have the freedom of religion, meaning they can believe what they want.
• 1703 – Portugal and England signed the Methuen Treaty. This agreement made it easier for Portugal to sell its wine to England, which was good for trade between the two countries.
• 1814 – In the War of 1812, a ship called the USS Carolina was destroyed. This ended a series of battles that helped Andrew Jackson win the important Battle of New Orleans.
• 1831 – The famous scientist Charles Darwin started his journey on the ship HMS Beagle. During this trip, he began to develop his amazing idea about evolution, which explains how living things change over time.
• 1845 – For the very first time, ether was used as an anesthetic (a medicine to make you numb or sleep during surgery) during childbirth. This happened in Jefferson, Georgia.
• 1845 – Journalist John L. O'Sullivan, who had created the phrase "Manifest Destiny", wrote in his newspaper that the United States had the right to claim all of the Oregon Country. This idea was about America expanding across the continent.

Modern Times (1901–Present)

• 1911 – "Jana Gana Mana", which is now the national anthem of India, was sung for the first time at a big meeting of the Indian National Congress.
• 1918 – The Great Poland Uprising began. This was a fight against the Germans to gain independence for Poland.
• 1922 – The Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō became the world's first ship built specifically to carry and launch airplanes. This was a big step for naval warfare!
• 1927 – The musical play Show Boat opened on Broadway in New York City. Many people consider it the first true American musical.
• 1929 – Soviet leader Joseph Stalin ordered a policy to remove wealthy farmers, known as "kulaks", as a class.
• 1932 – The famous Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City. It's known as the "Showplace of the Nation" and hosts many amazing performances.
• 1935 – Regina Jonas became the first female rabbi (a Jewish religious leader) in history. This was a very important moment for Judaism.
• 1939 – A very strong earthquake, the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, hit eastern Turkey. It caused a lot of damage and sadly, many people lost their lives.
• 1945 – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was created when 29 countries signed an agreement. The IMF helps countries with their money and economies.
• 1949 – After a long struggle, the Netherlands officially recognized Indonesia's independence. This marked the end of the Dutch East Indies.
• 1966 – The Cave of Swallows, the largest known cave shaft in the world, was discovered in Mexico. It's an incredible natural wonder!
• 1968 – The Apollo 8 spacecraft splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean. This mission was very important because it was the first time humans orbited the Moon!
• 1978 – Spain became a democracy after 40 years of a dictatorship (a government where one person or a small group has total power).
• 1983 – Pope John Paul II visited Mehmet Ali Ağca in prison and personally forgave him for the attack on him in 1981.
• 1985 – Attacks occurred at airports in Rome, Italy, and Vienna, Austria, resulting in the deaths of eighteen people.
• 1989 – The Romanian Revolution ended. This was a time of big changes in Romania as people fought for freedom.
• 1991 – Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 751 crashed in Sweden, injuring many people.
• 1997 – Billy Wright, a Protestant leader, died in Northern Ireland.
• 2004 – Radiation from a huge explosion on a special star called SGR 1806-20 reached Earth. It was the brightest event from outside our solar system ever seen on our planet!
• 2007 – Benazir Bhutto, a former prime minister of Pakistan, died in a shooting incident.
• 2008 – Operation Cast Lead: Israel began a three-week operation in Gaza.
• 2009 – During protests in Tehran, Iran, government forces fired upon demonstrators.
• 2019 – Bek Air Flight 2100 crashed during takeoff from Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan, sadly killing 13 people.

Famous Birthdays

Born Before 1900

• 1571 – Johannes Kepler: A German mathematician and astronomer who discovered important laws about how planets move.
• 1773 – George Cayley: An English engineer who was a pioneer in the field of aeronautics, often called the "Father of Aviation."
• 1797 – Ghalib: A very famous Indian poet who wrote in Urdu and Persian.
• 1822 – Louis Pasteur: A French chemist and microbiologist who made huge discoveries about vaccines and pasteurization (heating food to kill germs).
• 1823 – Mackenzie Bowell: An English-Canadian journalist and politician who became the 5th Prime Minister of Canada.
• 1832 – Pavel Tretyakov: A Russian businessman who loved art and founded the famous Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
• 1900 – Hans Stuck: A German racing driver, known for his success in hillclimb races.

Born After 1900

• 1901 – Marlene Dietrich: A German-American actress and singer, a true Hollywood legend.
• 1925 – Michel Piccoli: A French actor who appeared in many films.
• 1931 – Scotty Moore: An American guitarist, famous for playing with Elvis Presley.
• 1934 – Larisa Latynina: A Ukrainian gymnast and coach, one of the most decorated Olympic gymnasts of all time.
• 1943 – Cokie Roberts: A well-known American journalist and author.
• 1944 – Mick Jones: An English guitarist, songwriter, and producer, known for the band Foreigner.
• 1948 – Gérard Depardieu: A famous French-Russian actor.
• 1951 – Ernesto Zedillo: A Mexican economist and politician who served as the 54th President of Mexico.
• 1965 – Salman Khan: A very popular Indian film actor and producer.
• 1966 – Bill Goldberg: An American football player, wrestler, and actor.
• 1969 – Chyna: An American professional wrestler and actress.
• 1974 – Masi Oka: A Japanese-American actor and visual effects designer, known for his role in the TV show Heroes.
• 1981 – Emilie de Ravin: An Australian actress, known for her roles in Lost and Once Upon a Time.
• 1986 – Torah Bright: An Australian snowboarder and Olympic gold medalist.
• 1986 – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce: A Jamaican sprinter, one of the fastest women in the world.
• 1988 – Hayley Williams: An American singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of the band Paramore.
• 1990 – Milos Raonic: A Canadian tennis player.
• 1995 – Timothée Chalamet: A French-American actor, known for his roles in popular movies.
• 1999 – Brock Purdy: An American football player, a quarterback in the NFL.

Notable People Who Passed Away

Died Before 1900

• 1571 – Johannes Kepler: The famous German astronomer.
• 1771 – Henri Pitot: A French engineer who invented the Pitot tube, used to measure fluid speed.
• 1822 – Louis Pasteur: The French chemist and microbiologist.
• 1834 – Charles Lamb: An English essayist and poet.
• 1836 – Stephen F. Austin: An American soldier and politician, known as the "Father of Texas."
• 1900 – William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong: An English engineer and businessman who founded the company Armstrong Whitworth.

Died After 1900

• 1914 – Charles Martin Hall: An American chemist and engineer who invented an inexpensive way to produce aluminum.
• 1923 – Gustave Eiffel: A French architect and engineer, famous for co-designing the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
• 1936 – Mehmet Akif Ersoy: A Turkish poet and politician who wrote the Turkish national anthem.
• 1972 – Lester B. Pearson: A Canadian historian and politician who became the 14th Prime Minister of Canada and won the Nobel Peace Prize.
• 1978 – Houari Boumediene: An Algerian colonel and politician who was the 2nd President of Algeria.
• 1981 – Hoagy Carmichael: An American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actor.
• 1982 – Jack Swigert: An American pilot and astronaut, known for his role in the Apollo 13 mission.
• 2007 – Benazir Bhutto: A Pakistani politician who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
• 2012 – Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr.: A famous American general.
• 2016 – Carrie Fisher: An American actress, screenwriter, and author, best known for playing Princess Leia in Star Wars.
• 2023 – Lee Sun-kyun: A South Korean actor.
• 2023 – Gaston Glock: An Austrian engineer who founded the company Glock, known for its firearms.

Holidays and Special Days

• Christian feast day:
  • Blessed Francesco Spoto
  • Blessed Sára Salkaházi
  • Fabiola
  • John the Apostle
  • Pope Maximus of Alexandria
  • Nicarete
  • Theodorus and Theophanes
  • December 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Constitution Day (North Korea)
• Emergency Rescuer's Day (Russia)
• St. Stephen's Day (Eastern Orthodox Church; a public holiday in Romania)
• The third of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)

Images for kids

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  A robot icon for kids' content.

See also

In Spanish: 27 de diciembre para niños