December 16 Through History

Explanation: The Boston Tea Party was triggered by American colonists disguised as Mohawk Native Americans, who threw 342 chests of tea into the harbor. This act of resistance against the British tax on tea is considered one of the triggers of the American Revolution.

Explanation: Ludwig van Beethoven began to lose his hearing around the age of 28. He composed some of his most important works, including the 9th Symphony, while he was completely deaf. His exact birth date is uncertain: December 16 or 15, but he was baptized on December 17, 1770.

Explanation: Christian Dior, financially backed by Marcel Boussac, opened his house in 1946. In 1947, he presented the 'New Look' collection, revolutionizing women's fashion with long skirts and elegant silhouettes after the years of wartime restrictions.

Explanation: Oliver Cromwell, after leading the English Revolution and having King Charles I executed in 1649, ruled under the title of Lord Protector until his death in 1658. His regime, known as the Commonwealth, banned theatres and many public festivities.

Explanation: Launched in 1977, the Voyager 1 probe took 27 years to reach the heliosphere. It is today the farthest man-made object from Earth, traveling through interstellar space more than 23 billion kilometers from the Sun.

Explanation: Grigori Rasputin was assassinated by a group of Russian nobles led by Prince Felix Yusupov. His death was particularly gruesome: poisoned, beaten, then drowned in the Neva. His influence over Tsarina Alexandra, due to his supposed ability to relieve the hemophilia of Tsarevich Alexei, had scandalized the court.

Explanation: Jane Austen published her novels anonymously during her lifetime, signing simply 'by a lady'. Pride and Prejudice, published in 1813, was first titled 'First Impressions'. She died at just 41 years old, in 1817, leaving six major novels that remain classics of world literature.

Explanation: The Timișoara revolution broke out after the arrest of pastor László Tőkés, a defender of the rights of the Hungarian minority. The protests spread quickly to Bucharest. Ceaușescu and his wife Elena were arrested, tried, and executed on 25 December 1989.

Explanation: Operation Wacht am Rhein, also known as the 'Battle of the Bulge', was the last major German offensive on the Western Front. Adolf Hitler hoped to cut the Allied lines and seize the port of Antwerp. It failed in the face of American resistance, notably at Bastogne, and the advance of Allied forces.

Explanation: ABBA, formed in 1972, is made up of two couples: Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson. The group made it big on the international stage with their Eurovision win in 1974 thanks to 'Waterloo'. They remain one of the best-selling groups in music history.