After an eight-day siege, a Mongol army led by Batu Khan occupies and destroys Kyiv on December 6, 1240. Out of 50,000 people in the city, only 2,000 survived. The victory allowed Batu Khan to proceed westward into Central Europe.
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What Happened Today in History on December 6
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on December 6th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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During his first voyage, Columbus lands on December 6, 1492, on what is now the north coast of Haiti at a bay he named San Nicolas going on to name the Island, "La Isla Española", which was later Anglicized to Hispaniola. His arrival on the island followed his initial landing in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. Hispaniola went on to became a base for future Spanish colonization of 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. Although some believe it happened in mid August, most historians believe December 6 to be the correct date.
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
Jackson Lanier, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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.