1793 – First state road authorized from Frankfort, Kentucky to Cincinnati.
1903 – The Wright brothers attempt to fly the Wright Flyer for the first time at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
1914 – President Woodrow Wilson signs Harrison Narcotics Tax Act to regulate and tax production, importation, and distribution of opiates and coca products.
1920 – Jack Dempsey knocks out Bill Brennan in 12th round for heavyweight boxing title in New York City.
1934 – First streamlined steam locomotive introduced in Albany, New York.
1938 – American League permits Cleveland and Philadelphia to play night baseball games.
1941 – First National Football League division playoff game. Chicago Bears beat Green Bay Packers 33-14.
1944 – Congress establishes rank of General of Army (5-star General).
1953 – Brooklyn Dodgers sign pitcher Sandy Koufax.
1961 – Jimmy Dean’s “Big Bad John” is first country song to get a gold record.
1967 – DNA created in a test tube.
1979 – The United States performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
1980 – New Orleans Saints end 14-game losing streak by beating New York Jets 21-20.
1986 – Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan & Jeana Yeager, takes off from Edwards Air Force Base, California on first non-stop, non-refueling flight around the world.
1988 – CBS’ $11 billion bid wins exclusive 1990-94 Major League Baseball rights.
1996 – 12th Soap Opera Digest Awards: Days of Our Lives wins.
2008 – President George W. Bush makes his fourth and final trip to Iraq as president and is almost struck by two shoes thrown at him by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi during a farewell conference in Baghdad.
2016 – Amazon announces its first delivery by drone 2 kilometers from its warehouse in the United Kingdom.
2017 – The Walt Disney Company buys most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion.
2020 – Electoral College votes 306-232 to officially affirm Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.
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