What Happened This Day In History - November 26

Today in History

November 26
1688		Louis XIV declares war on the Netherlands.
1774		A congress of colonial leaders criticizes British influence in the colonies and affirms their right to "Life, liberty and property."
1789		George Washington proclaims this a National Thanksgiving Day in honor of the new Constitution. This date was later used to set the date for Thanksgiving.
1812		Napoleon Bonaparte’s army begins crossing the Beresina River over two hastily constructed bridges.
1825		The Kappa Alpha Society, the second American college Greek-letter fraternity, is founded.
1863		The first National Thanksgiving is celebrated.
1901		The Hope diamond is brought to New York.
1907		The Duma lends support to Czar in St. Petersburg, who claims he has renounced autocracy.
1917		The Bolsheviks offer an armistice between Russian and the Central Powers.
1922		Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, archeologists, open King Tut’s tomb, undisturbed for 3,000 years.
1938		Poland renews nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union to protect against a German invasion.
1939		The Soviet Union charges Finland with artillery attack on border.
1941		The Japanese fleet departs from the Kuril Islands en route to its attack onPearl Harbor.
1947		France expels 19 Soviet citizens, charging them with intervention in internal affairs.
1949		India becomes a sovereign Democratic republic.
1950		North Korean and Chinese troops halt a UN offensive.
1957		President Eisenhower suffers a minor stroke.
1975		Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme is found guilty of an attempt on President Gerald Ford’s life.
1979		Oil deposits equaling OPEC reserves are found in Venezuela.
1982		Yasuhiro Nakasone is elected the 71st Japanese prime minister.
1983		At London’s Heathrow Airport, almost 6,800 gold bars worth nearly £26 million stolen from Brinks-MAT vault.
1998		Tony Blair becomes the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to address the Republic of Ireland’s parliament.
2000		Republican candidate George W. Bush is certified the winner of Florida’s electoral votes, giving him enough electoral votes to defeat Democrat Al Gore Jr. for the US presidency, despite losing the popular vote.
2011		NATO forces in Afghanistan attack a Pakistani checkpost in a friendly fire incident, killing 24 soldiers and wounding 13 others.
Born on November 26
1827		Ellen Gould White, founder of the Seventh Day Adventists.
1876		Willis Haviland Carrier, inventor of the first air conditioning system to control both temperature and humidity.
1894		Norbert Weiner, American mathematician, considered the father of automation.
1912		Eric Sevareid, American broadcast journalist for CBS News.
1920		Cyril Cusack, Irish actor.
1922		Charles M. Shultz, American cartoonist who created "Peanuts" starring Charlie Brown.
1924		George Segal, sculptor.
1933		Robert Goulet, singer, actor.
1938		Rich Little, comedian, actor; noted for his ability to impersonate famous personalities.
1939		Tina Turner, singer, dancer , actress ("What’s Love Got to Do with It").
1954		Velupillai Prabhakaran, founder and leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
1956		Dale Jarrett, NASCAR driver; won 1999 Winston Cup Series championship.