1884

Today in History 12/10 (Queen of England, Catherine Howard)

Catherine Howard, fifth wife and Queen of Henry VIII (© The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)(1541) Two men are executed for affairs with Henry VIII’s wife
Thomas Culpeper, a friend of the king, and Francis Dereham are executed after confessing, under torture, to affairs with the Queen of England Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Catherine will meet a hard end, too — she will be beheaded within months.
Francis DerehamFrancis Dereham was a Tudor courtier whose involvement with Henry VIII’s fifth Queen, Catherine Howard, in her youth, was a principal cause of the Queen’s execution.
Died: Dec 10, 1541
Parents: John ( Thomas ) Derham · John Paynell

wiki/Francis_Dereham
Thomas CulpeperThomas Culpeper was a courtier and close friend of Henry VIII, and related to two of his queens, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. He is known to have had many private meetings with Catherine after her marriage, though these may have involved political intrigue. A letter was found written by Queen Catherine and she signed it, “yours as long as life endures.” He blamed the queen, saying he tried to end it, but she was, “dying of love for him”. Under torture, he confessed to adultery, and both were beheaded for treason.
Born: 1514
Died: Dec 10, 1541 · Tyburn
Buried: St Sepulchre
Parents: Sir Alexander Culpeper (Father) · Constance Harper (Mother)
Siblings: Thomas Culpeper (Brother)

wiki/Thomas_Culpeper
4.16.n18

(1541) Two men are executed for affairs with Henry VIII’s wife.
Also on this day,

1884 | Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ is published in England
In colloquial language, Mark Twain’s novel tells the story of its narrator, Huck Finn, and Jim, a runaway slave. The book, which condemns racism, will stir controversy: It’s called “rough, coarse, and inelegant” and “more suited to the slums,” which Twain jokes will spur sales.
1901 | The first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden
Inventor of dynamite and manufacturer of weapons, Alfred Nobel didn’t want to be remembered as a “merchant of death,” and so willed that his fortune should fund annual awards to celebrate work that “shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.” Today, on the fifth anniversary of his death, the first prizes are conferred.
1967 | Singer Otis Redding dies at 26 in plane crash
Otis Redding’s private plane plummets into a lake just short of the runway in Madison, Wisconsin, killing Redding and six other passengers. Just the day before, the soul singer recorded ‘The Dock of the Bay,’ which will become the first posthumous No. 1 hit.

Today in History 12/10/17

Alfred Nobel, Swedish chemist and inventor whose fortune funded the Nobel Prizes (© Oxford Science Archive/Print Collector/Getty Images)(1901) The first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden
Inventor of dynamite and manufacturer of weapons, Alfred Nobel didn't want to be remembered as a "merchant of death," and so willed that his fortune should fund annual awards to celebrate work that "shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." Today, on the fifth anniversary of his death, the first prizes are conferred.
The Nobel Prize is a set of annual international awards bestowed in several categories by Swedish and Norwegian institutions in recognition of academic, cultural or scientific advances.
Nobel Prize
A golden medallion with an embossed image of Alfred Nobel facing left in profile. To the left of the man is the text "ALFR•" then "NOBEL", and on the right, the text (smaller) "NAT•" then "MDCCCXXXIII" above, followed by (smaller) "OB•" then "MDCCCXCVI" below.

wiki/Nobel_Prize
4.8.d17


Today in History 12/06 (Finland Independence)

Citizens gather on the Senate Square in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 6, 1917 (© 12/UIG/Getty Images)(1917) Finland declares independence from Russia
The Republic of Finland declares independence from the Russian empire. While Russia will quickly acknowledge Finland’s independence, it will take a civil war to determine a system of government. Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg will become the nation’s first president.
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland is a country in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Norway to the north, Sweden to the northwest, and Russia to the east. Finland is a Nordic country and is situated in the geographical region of Fennoscandia. The capital and largest city is Helsinki. Other major cities are Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Oulu and Turku.
Founded: Mar 29, 1809
Population: 5.51 million (2017)
GDP: $277 billion USD (2018)
Calling code: 358
Area: 130,559 sq miles
Capital: Helsinki

Flag of Finland
Flag of Finland
wiki/Finland
4.16.n18

(1917) Finland declares independence from Russia.
Also on this day,

1865 | Slavery is abolished in the United States
Eight months after the end of the Civil War, the 13th amendment is ratified by the required number of states, abolishing slavery in the US. Its passage was secured after intense lobbying by President Abraham Lincoln, whose Emancipation Proclamation had declared slaves free, but their status after the war was still uncertain.
1884 | US capital welcomes a towering marble obelisk as Washington Monument done
Workers have put the aluminum apex atop the 555-foot-high marble obelisk built in honor of George Washington. Construction began in 1848 but stalled during the Civil War. At the time of its completion, it’s the tallest structure in the world and will remain the tallest in the capital, thanks to city law.
1964 | Christmas show debuts as ‘Rudolph’ lights up TV for the first time
The stop-motion animation special airs on NBC as part of General Electric’s ‘Fantasy Hour.’ Created by Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass and filmed in Japan, the show will become a holiday classic for generations, moving to CBS in 1972.

Today in History 12/06/17

Abraham Lincoln's signature is seen on the final 13th amendment at the National Archives (© Jacquelyn Martin/AP)(1865) Slavery is abolished in the United States
Eight months after the end of the Civil War, the 13th amendment is ratified by the required number of states, abolishing slavery in the US. Its passage was secured after intense lobbying by President Abraham Lincoln, whose Emancipation Proclamation had declared slaves free, but their status after the war was still uncertain.
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. In Congress, it was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, and by the House on January 31, 1865. The amendment was ratified by the required number of states on December 6, 1865. On December 18, 1865, Secretary of State William H. Seward proclaimed its adoption. It was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments adopted following the American Civil War.
Scars of a whipped Mississippi slave
Scars of a whipped Mississippi slave, photo taken (April 2, 1863, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Original caption: "Overseer Artayou Carrier whipped me. I was two months in bed sore from the whipping. My master come after I was whipped; he discharged the overseer. The very words of poor Peter, taken as he sat for his picture."

wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
4.7.d17