133 things happened on 9 December, from AD 536 to 2013. UK stories come first, then the rest of the world.
1608 · 418 years ago
John Milton was an English poet. He is best known for Paradise Lost, a very long poem published in 1667. It tells how Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan and then sent out of the Garden of Eden. Milton also worked for the government of England under Oliver Cro…
UK history first: stories from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UK story
Forces loyal to William of Orange won a clear victory at the Battle of Reading. It was one of only two big military clashes in England during the Glorious Revolution. In this revolution, King James II lost his throne. He was replaced by his daughter, Mary II, and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange, who ruled together.
UK story
The first traffic lights were installed outside the Palace of Westminster in London, where Parliament meets. They looked like railway signals, with arms that moved up and down to tell traffic what to do. At night they were lit by red and green gas lamps. Traffic lights now control the flow of traffic at junctions and crossings all over the world.
UK story
The football club Newcastle United was formed. It grew out of Newcastle East End, which had started in 1881 as Stanley F.C. Its old local rival, Newcastle West End, had closed down. The club took over West End's home ground, St James' Park, and has played there ever since. Newcastle United now plays in the Premier League, the top level of English football.
UK story
The first episode of Coronation Street was shown on ITV. It is the world's longest-running television soap opera. The programme is set on a cobbled street of terraced houses in Weatherfield, a made-up town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Soap operas got their name because early radio dramas were paid for by soap makers.
UK story
The British and Irish governments signed the Sunningdale Agreement at Sunningdale Park in Berkshire. It aimed to set up a power-sharing government for Northern Ireland and a Council of Ireland linking both sides of the border. A power-sharing Executive began work in January 1974. However, strong opposition and a general strike brought the agreement down in May 1974.
UK story
American Revolutionary War: After their loss in the Battle of Great Bridge, British authorities were forced to evacuate from the Colony of Virginia.
UK story
The Iranian city of Bushehr surrenders to occupying British forces.
UK story
First World War: Hussein al-Husayni, the Ottoman mayor of Jerusalem, surrendered the city to British forces (pictured).
UK story
Second World War: British and Commonwealth forces began Operation Compass, the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert campaign.
UK story
Tanganyika Territory gained independence from Britain before becoming part of Tanzania three years later.
The Constituent Assembly of India met for the first time to write the Constitution of India. Most of its members were elected from the provinces of British India. The constitution it wrote came into force in 1950, when India became a republic. It is the longest written national constitution in the world.
Tanganyika in East Africa gained its independence from the United Kingdom. At first Queen Elizabeth II remained its head of state, but it became a republic a year later. In 1964 Tanganyika joined with Zanzibar to form a new united country. Its land now forms the mainland part of Tanzania.
In San Francisco, Douglas Engelbart gave a famous demonstration that later became known as 'The Mother of All Demos'. He showed the computer mouse to the public for the first time. He also showed hypertext, the clickable links we now use on the web. And he showed an early version of the screen displays we use on computers. His team's work helped shape how people use computers.
A commission of scientists for the World Health Organization (WHO) certified that smallpox had been eradicated, or wiped out, around the world. Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by a virus. The last natural case had been found in 1977. Smallpox is still the only human disease ever to have been completely eradicated.
NASA launched the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116. It carried a new piece of the International Space Station's framework, called the P5 truss. Discovery flew into space 39 times, more than any other spacecraft. The Space Shuttle programme flew 135 missions between 1981 and 2011.
Gothic War: The Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome unopposed; the Gothic garrison flees the capital.
The first battle between the forces of Švitrigaila and Sigismund Kęstutaitis is fought near the town of Oszmiana (Ashmyany), launching the most active phase of the Lithuanian Civil War.
The Virgin of Guadalupe first appears to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, Mexico City.
The Qing dynasty of China, led by Emperor Hong Taiji, invades Joseon.
In a memoir read to the French Academy of Sciences, Augustin-Jean Fresnel coined the terms linear, circular, and elliptical polarization, and reported a direct refraction experiment verifying his theory that optical rotation is a form of birefringence.
Patriot forces led by General Antonio José de Sucre defeat a Royalist army in the Battle of Ayacucho, putting an end to the Peruvian War of Independence.
Texas Revolution: The Texian Army captures San Antonio following the Siege of Béxar.
The first YMCA in North America is established in Montreal.
American Civil War: The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War is established by Congress.
In Louisiana, P. B. S. Pinchback becomes the first African American governor of a U.S. state following the impeachment of Henry C. Warmoth.
The first edition of the Argosy magazine was published under the title The Golden Argosy.
French actress, journalist and leading suffragette Marguerite Durand founded the feminist newspaper La Fronde.
In France, a law separating church and state is passed.
World War I: The Kingdom of Romania signs the Armistice of Focșani with the Central Powers.
Gabriel Narutowicz is elected the first president of Poland.
The Constituent Cortes approves a constitution which establishes the Second Spanish Republic.
Student protests occur in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, and are subsequently dispersed by government authorities.
Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanking: Japanese troops under the command of Lt. Gen. Yasuhiko Asaka launch an assault on the Chinese city of Nanking.
World War II: China, Cuba, Guatemala, and the Philippine Commonwealth declare war on Germany and Japan.
Cold War: Harry Gold is sentenced to 30 years in jail for helping Klaus Fuchs pass information about the Manhattan Project to the Soviet Union. His testimony is later instrumental in the prosecution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
Red Scare: General Electric announces that all communist employees will be discharged from the company.
A large, brilliant fireball was seen by thousands in midwestern North America before landing in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania.
U.S. secretary of state William P. Rogers proposed a plan, later called the Rogers Plan, for a ceasefire in the War of Attrition; Egypt's and Jordan's acceptance of the plan over Palestine Liberation Organization objections led to civil war in Jordan in September 1970.
Indo-Pakistani War: The Indian Air Force executes an airdrop of Indian Army units, bypassing Pakistani defences.
Israeli–Palestinian conflict: The First Intifada begins in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
In Serbia's first multi-party election, Slobodan Milošević won the presidential election and the Socialist Party of Serbia won the majority of seats in the National Assembly.
American troops land in Somalia for Operation Restore Hope.
Gwen Jacob is acquitted of committing an indecent act, giving women the right to be topless in Ontario, Canada.
Every answer is somewhere on this page. Have a go, then check!
In which year did this happen: “Newcastle United football club is formed”?
C: 1892. 1892 — that’s 134 years ago. Find it on the page
In which year did this happen: “William of Orange's forces win the Battle of Reading”?
A: 1688. 1688 — that’s 338 years ago. Find it on the page
Which of these happened first?
B: William of Orange's forces win the Battle of Reading. 1868: The world's first traffic lights are put up in London · 1688: William of Orange's forces win the Battle of Reading · 1892: Newcastle United football club is formed Find it on the page
“The world's first traffic lights are put up in London” happened in 1868. How many years ago was that?
A: 158 years. 2026 − 1868 = 158. Find it on the page
Famous people whose birthday is 9 December.
UK story
John Milton was an English poet. He is best known for Paradise Lost, a very long poem published in 1667. It tells how Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan and then sent out of the Garden of Eden. Milton also worked for the government of England under Oliver Cromwell. He died in 1674.
UK story
Dame Judi Dench is an English actress, widely seen as one of Britain's greatest. She has played many different kinds of roles on stage, in films and on television, over a career of seven decades. She has won an Academy Award, six BAFTA film awards and seven Olivier Awards for theatre.
Well-known people who died on 9 December.
Festivals, holidays and saints’ days celebrated on 9 December somewhere in the world.
Content note: these entries mention things like war, violence, deaths, disasters or crime. They are part of history, but they can be upsetting. Grown-ups and teachers: you may want to read them first. They come straight from Wikipedia and have not been rewritten for children.
Stories with a heading have been written for young readers by A Day in the Past, using the linked articles as sources. Other entries show text from Wikipedia’s “December 9” page and its “On this day” feed, written by Wikipedia contributors and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. Each “Read more” link goes to the article an entry is based on. Photos are credited under each picture. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us.