All Events

Historical Events on December 26

  • American Revolutionary War

    1776

    American Revolutionary War: In the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army attacks and successfully defeats a garrison of Hessian forces .

  • American Civil War

    1861

    American Civil War: The Trent Affair: Confederate diplomatic envoys James Murray Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus heading off a possible war between the United States and the United Kingdom.

  • Babe Ruth

    1919

    Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox is sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee, allegedly establishing the Curse of the Bambino superstition.

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt

    1941

    U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

  • World War II

    1943

    World War II: German warship Scharnhorst is sunk off of Norway's North Cape after a battle against major Royal Navy forces.

  • The Beatles

    1963

    The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" are released in the United States, marking the beginning of Beatlemania on an international level.

  • Vietnam War

    1972

    Vietnam War: As part of Operation Linebacker II, 120 American B-52 Stratofortress bombers attacked Hanoi, including 78 launched from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the largest single combat launch in Strategic Air Command history.

  • 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

    2004

    The 9.1-9.3 Mw Indian Ocean earthquake shakes northern Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). One of the largest observed tsunamis follows, affecting the coastal areas of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia; death toll is between 230,000-280,000.

  • High-speed rail in China

    2009

    China opens the world's longest high-speed rail route, which links Beijing and Guangzhou.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on December 26

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on December 26

25. December

27. December