Major Events
- 406 80,000 Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine at Mainz, beginning invasion of Gallia
- 1703 Genroku earthquake off the coast of Japan, near Edo (modern-day Tokyo), kills thousands and triggers a large tsunami killing thousands more
- 1744 English astronomer James Bradley announces discovery of Earth's nutation motion or wobble
- 1775 Battle of Quebec: American Continental Army led by Richard Montgomery is defeated trying to take the British stronghold of Quebec City in the American Revolutionary War, General Montgomery is killed and Benedict Arnold is injured
- 1861 A then world record 22,990mm of rain falls in a single year in Cherrapunji, Assam in India
- 1958 Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista tells his Cabinet he is fleeing the country
- More December 31 Events
Dec 31 in Film & TV
- 1923 BBC begins using Big Ben chime ID
Dec 31 in Sport
- 1988 "The Fog Bowl", a heavy, dense fog rolls over Soldier Field in Chicago during second quarter of the Bears vs Eagles NFC Divisional Playoff Game, cuts visibility to 15-20 yards (Bears win 20-12)
- 1989 Jockey Kent Desormeaux sets record with 598 wins in a year
Did You Know?
First New Year's Eve celebration held in Times Square, New York City
Andreas Vesalius
Charles Cornwallis
George C. Marshall
John Denver
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Anthony Hopkins
Fun Fact About December 31
This date is skipped altogether in Kiribati as the Phoenix Islands and Line Islands change time zones from UTC-11 to UTC+13 and UTC-10 to UTC+14, respectively.
Famous Weddings
- 1910 Editor Maxwell Perkins (26) weds Louise Saunders at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in North Plainfield, New Jersey
- 1940 Actress Bette Davis (32) weds New England innkeeper Arthur Farnsworth at 15,000-acre ranch in Lake Montezuma, Arizona
- 1950 World heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano (27) weds Barbara Cousins in Brockton, Massachusetts
More December 31 Weddings
Commodus
Roberto Clemente
Ricky Nelson
Natalie Cole
Betty White
Benedict XVIArticles, Photos and Quiz
Collector Samuel Pepys Sets a Shining Example
Fire, warfare and discontent meant 1666 was not a good year, his collection of silver plate seemingly providing the only bright spot for diarist Samuel Pepys.
December 31, 1666
Battle of Quebec
The Death of General Montgomery in the failed American Attack on Quebec City
December 31, 1775
The 1988 Fog Bowl
A photo taken as the Bears and Eagles face off in the 1988 "Fog Bowl"
December 31, 1988
Weekly Quiz for December 30 - January 5
What year did Ellis Island open? Who became a dictator in 1925, with the title Il Duce? Who was the 1st female added to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
