1819 – Congress of Angostura establishes Colombia’s independence from Spain
1885 – France declares Madagascar a protectorate
1946 – US V-2 rocket reaches 183 km, White Sands Proving Grounds, New Mexico
1970 – Workers returning to shipyard in Gdynia, Poland are met by soldiers who shoot at the crowd, killing at least 18, wounding hundreds
1970 – USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
1971 – Radio Bangladesh begins transmitting
1977 – Elvis Costello and The Attractions 1st US TV appearance on “Saturday Night Live”
1983 – In his 352nd NHL game, Wayne Gretzky scores a goal and 5 assists in 8-1 rout of Quebec Nordiques to record his 800th point and 500th assist; averages 2.27 points, 1.42 assists, 0.85 goals per game to start career
1992 – “A Christmas Carol” opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 22 performances
2019 – Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf sentenced to death in absentia for high treason