This Day In History, December 14th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on December 14th
George Washington, the first President of the United States, died in 1799 at the age of 67 at his residence at Mount Vernon, Virginia.
Norwegian adventurer Roald Amundsen and his party became the first to reach the South Pole in 1911, defeating British explorer Robert Falcon Scott.
The United Nations General Assembly agreed in 1946 to create the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to help children affected by World War II.
The last mission of the United States' Apollo program, Apollo 17, was launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center in 1972, with astronauts Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt onboard.
A shooter opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, killing 26 people, including 20 children aged 6 to 7.
In 1799, George Washington, the first President of the United States, died at his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia, at the age of 67.
George Washington died on December 14, 1799, following a brief illness. His death was a major event in American history since he was one of the country's Founding Fathers and played an important role in its early growth. Washington was also a famous military leader who led the Continental Army to victory over the British during the American Revolutionary War, and he was the country's first President from 1789 to 1797. His legacy is remembered in a variety of ways, including the national celebration of Presidents' Day and the famous image of his visage on the one-dollar note.
In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team became the first people to reach the South Pole, beating British explorer Robert Falcon Scott.
Roald Amundsen and his party of five became the first persons to reach the geographic South Pole on December 14, 1911, defeating the British expedition commanded by Robert Falcon Scott by almost a month. Amundsen's crew traveled with sled dogs and skis, whereas Scott's team depended on ponies, motor sledges, and man-hauling. Amundsen's successful journey to the South Pole was a monumental feat in the history of polar exploration, cementing his status as one of history's greatest explorers.
In 1946, the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to provide aid to children affected by World War II.
The United Nations General Assembly agreed on December 14, 1946, to create the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to offer humanitarian help to children in World War II-affected nations. The organization was founded as a temporary solution to meet the pressing needs of children in war-torn Europe and China, but it quickly became a permanent United Nations body. UNICEF now works in over 190 countries to safeguard and promote children's rights, as well as to improve their health, education, and well-being.
In 1972, Apollo 17, the final mission of the United States' Apollo program, was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with astronauts Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt aboard.
The Apollo 17 mission launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on December 14, 1972, marking the final manned mission of the United States' Apollo program and the last time humans ventured beyond low Earth orbit. Commander Eugene Cernan, Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans, and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt made up the mission's crew. Cernan and Schmitt went on three moonwalks while on the Moon, gathering rock samples and performing scientific experiments. Apollo 17 also broke numerous records, including the longest manned lunar landing trip and the longest time spent by men on the Moon's surface. The mission returned to Earth on December 19, 1972, bringing the Apollo program to a close.
In 2012, a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, killing 26 people, including 20 children between the ages of 6 and 7, in one
A mass shooting occurred on December 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, USA, when a 20-year-old man named Adam Lanza entered the school and fatally shot 26 people, including 20 children aged 6 to 7, as well as six adult staff members. The tragedy stunned the country and reignited arguments about gun control legislation and mental health concerns. Sandy Hook remains one of the deadliest school shootings in American history, prompting intensified measures to prevent gun violence and safeguard children in schools.