On December 9, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly approved the first world treaty criminalizing genocide. See the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. For much more information, read Professor William Schabas’ 1999 report The Genocide Convention at Fifty.
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On December 8, 2004, the leaders of all 12 countries in South America signed the Cusco Declaration, creating the Union of South American Nations. The organization is intended to evolve into a union similar to the European Union with a Presidency, Parliament, Central Bank and eventual single currency.
On December 8, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation offering amnesty to all citizens of the Confederacy who swore an oath to uphold the US Constitution. Because of confusion over who was to administer the oath, Lincoln issued another proclamation on March 26, 1864, empowering “any commissioned officer, civil, military, or naval in the [...]
On December 7, 1941, Imperial Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Canada responded later that day by declaring war on Japan. The following day, on December 8, the United States and the United Kingdom also declared war on Japan. In response on December 11, Japan’s ally, Germany, declared war on [...]
On December 7, 1983, the first US execution by lethal injection was carried out at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. Learn more about the history, technology and worldwide use of lethal injection.
On December 6, 1978, Spain adopted its modern constitution by referendum. It laid the foundation for democratic government in the country after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The event is celebrated annually in Spain as Constitution Day.
On December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, formally ending slavery in the US.
On December 5, 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat broke off diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria and South Yemen in response to the Declaration of Tripoli, which imposed sanctions on Eygpt. These hardline Arab nations had promulgated the Declaration in order to punish Egypt for establishing diplomatic relations with Israel. In 1979, Egypt signed a [...]
On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, ending the ban on the legal sale and importation of alcohol that had been introduced in 1919 by the 18th Amendment. Learn how the Voluntary Committee of Lawyers helped bring about Prohibition’s repeal.
On December 4, 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt established the Federal Alcohol Control Administration (FACA) by executive order under the National Industrial Recovery Act just prior to the formal end of Prohibition. FACA was charged with guiding legitimate wineries and distilleries under a system based on brewers’ voluntary codes of fair competition. It effectively vanished from [...]
