1692 Last people hanged for witchcraft (8) in the US, 19 hanged overall, with six other deaths during Salem Witch Trials
1792 French First Republic formed by the National Convention, stripping the French king of his powers
1862 US President Abraham Lincoln says he will free slaves in all states on Jan 1
1965 India and Pakistan cease-fire goes into effect, ending the Indo-Pakistani War
1980 Iraq invades Iran in an attempt to control the Shatt al-Arab waterway
Today in Film & TV
1994 “Friends” TV sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman debuts on NBC, starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer
Today in Music
1869 Richard Wagner’s opera “Rhine Gold” premieres in Munich
Today in Sport
1920 Chicago grand jury convenes to investigate charges that 8 White Sox players conspired to fix the 1919 World Series
Do you know this fact about today? Did You Know?
Robert Walpole becomes the first British “Prime Minister” (actually First Lord of the Treasury) to live at 10 Downing Street on this day in 1735
Would you believe this fact about today? Would You Believe?
Benjamin Franklin publishes a hoax letter “An Edict by the King of Prussia” in the Public Advertiser, criticising Britain’s colonial policies in the American colonies on this day in 1773
