This Day In History, December 30th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on December 30th
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is created on December 30, 1922, bringing together numerous republics that had previously been part of the Russian Empire.
1853: The United States purchases Gadsden Territory from Mexico - On December 30, 1853, the United States paid Mexico $10 million for a strip of territory in what is today Arizona and New Mexico. The Gadsden Purchase is the name given to this transaction.
1903: The first Western film is released - "The Great Train Robbery," the first Western film, was released in the United States on December 30, 1903. Edwin S. Porter directed this film, which is regarded as a watershed in film history.
Edwin Hubble declares that Andromeda is a galaxy in 1924 - Edwin Hubble reported on December 30, 1924, that the Andromeda Nebula was a distinct galaxy far beyond our Milky Way. This finding contributed to a better knowledge of the cosmos.
Saddam Hussein is hanged - Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was killed by hanging on December 30, 2006, for his participation in the murder of 148 Shia Muslims in 1982. His execution was extensively reported and very contentious.
1922: USSR is formed - On December 30, 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was officially formed, bringing together various republics that had previously been part of the Russian Empire.
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was officially established on December 30, 1922, combining the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic into a single, federal entity. The establishment of the USSR was a watershed moment in international history, ushering in a powerful new socialist state that would play a vital role in global events for decades to come.
1853: The United States buys Gadsden Territory from Mexico - On December 30, 1853, the United States purchased a strip of land in what is now Arizona and New Mexico from Mexico for $10 million. This purchase is known as the Gadsden Purchase.
On December 30, 1853, the United States paid Mexico $10 million for a sliver of land. The territory was purchased in what is now southern Arizona and New Mexico, and it is known as the Gadsden Purchase, named for James Gadsden, the US envoy to Mexico who negotiated the agreement. The acquisition was done largely to obtain property for a transcontinental railroad, but it also contributed to the resolution of a long-standing boundary dispute between the two countries. The Gadsden Purchase is seen as a watershed moment in the history of the American West and the United States' expansion.
On December 30, 1903, the first Western movie, "The Great Train Robbery," was released in the United States. This movie was directed by Edwin S. Porter and is considered a landmark in film history.
The silent film "The Great Train Robbery" was released in the United States on December 30, 1903. The picture, directed by Edwin S. Porter, is widely recognized as the first Western and a watershed moment in cinema history. It was a 12-minute silent film about a train heist and the ensuing chase by a posse. To tell its tale, the film employed revolutionary methods such as parallel editing, on-location shooting, and camera movement. The economic success of "The Great Train Robbery" spurred many other directors to explore the Western genre, which went on to become a mainstay of American cinema.
1924: Edwin Hubble announces that Andromeda is a galaxy - On December 30, 1924, astronomer Edwin Hubble announced that the Andromeda Nebula was actually a separate galaxy, far outside our Milky Way. This discovery helped expand our understanding of the universe.
On December 30, 1924, astronomer Edwin Hubble declared that the Andromeda Nebula, which had previously been thought to be a component of our own Milky Way galaxy, was, in reality, a different galaxy lying far beyond our own. Hubble made this finding by monitoring Cepheid variable stars in Andromeda and calculating the galaxy's distance from Earth using their brightness. This finding contributed to change our view of the universe and its extent by demonstrating the existence of countless more galaxies beyond our own. Hubble's efforts helped to create the science of extragalactic astronomy, and his name is now inextricably linked with the famed Hubble Space Telescope, which has continued to broaden our understanding of the universe.
On December 30, 2006, former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was executed by hanging for his role in the deaths of 148 Shia Muslims in 1982. His execution was widely publicized and controversial.
Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was hanged in Iraq on December 30, 2006, for crimes against humanity, including his participation in the 1982 killings of 148 Shia Muslims in the Iraqi village of Dujail. Hussein was seized by US forces during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and was placed on trial by the Iraqi government. His execution was extensively reported and contentious, with some doubting its legality and morality, while others regarded it as justice being delivered for the crimes done under his dictatorship. Saddam Hussein's death marked the conclusion of a long and difficult chapter in Iraqi history, and it has had a long-lasting influence on the country and the larger Middle East region.