Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on December 6th?

Otto I, King of Germany, defeats the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld, halting their invasion of Western Europe.

After an eight-day siege, a Mongol army led by Batu Khan occupies and destroys Kyiv. Out of 50,000 people in the city, only 2,000 survive. The victory allowed Batu Khan to proceed westward into Central Europe.

Christopher Columbus reaches the island of Hispaniola (modern-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic) during his first voyage to the Americas.

The 13th amendment, abolishing Slavery becomes part of the U.S. Constitution as the State of Georgia became the 27th State to ratify it. More

Thomas Edison successfully demonstrates the phonograph for the first time. Edison filed for a patent for the phonograph on December 24, 1877 and the patent was issued on February 19, 1878. The original phonograph was invented and patented by Edouard-Leon Scott in 1857. He called his device the phonautograph . His invention made a recording of sound waves on a glass plate, but it was not able to play back the sounds. More

The construction of the Washington Monument is completed with the placement of an 8.9 inch tall, 100-ounce pyramid of solid aluminum atop the capstone. Inscribed on the capstone is the Latin phrase “Laus Deo”, meaning “Praise be to God.” The cornerstone had been laid 36 years earlier on July 4, 1848; the first stone was laid atop the unfinished stump on August 7, 1880; and the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885. it opened on October 9, 1888. When completed, the Washington Monument surpassed the Cologne Cathedral (515') to be the tallest building in the world at 555 feet, 5.125 inches. More

The Monongah coal mine disaster in West Virginia’s Marion County. An explosion in a network of mines owned by the Fairmont Coal Company in Monongah kills 362 coal miners, 171 of them Italian migrants. Others killed in the disaster included Russians, Greeks, and immigrant workers from Austria-Hungary. It was the worst mining disaster in American history. More

Finland declares independence from Russia, leading to the Finnish Civil War.

The Irish Free State, is declared, with representatives of the two states signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty, ending a five-year Irish struggle for independence from Britain but still remaining part of the British Commonwealth, symbolically subject to the king. The Irish Free State later severed ties with Britain and is now called the Republic of Ireland. Neither the Free State or the current Republic of Ireland included today's Northern Ireland. More

Independence is granted to Kuwait, ending British protection.

The Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India, is demolished by Hindu nationalists, leading to communal violence.

The United States officially recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, sparking controversy and protests.