(1777) General George Washington leads troops to Valley Forge |
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The Continental Army commander takes his 11,000 men to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to rest for the winter. However, the beleaguered troops will not get the recuperation they need. Basic supplies, such as food and clothing, will run low. Starvation and exposure will kill about 2,500 soldiers. |
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(1843) ‘A Christmas Carol’ is published in Britain |
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The novella by British writer Charles Dickens tells the story of miser Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation to a kinder soul following visits from the ghost of his old business partner and the ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The story is an immediate success, and will remain one of Dickens’ most beloved works. |
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(1984) Britain agrees to give Hong Kong back to China |
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British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang sign an agreement that will end 155 years of British rule over Hong Kong. The agreement stipulates that the island will remain a capitalist economy and residents will enjoy existing freedoms for 50 years. |
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(1998) US President Bill Clinton is impeached |
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The House of Representatives votes to remove President Clinton from office over charges relating to his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Clinton is just the second US president to be impeached, following Andrew Johnson in 1868. The Senate, however, will vote to acquit Clinton, and he will finish out his second term in office. |
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DIH v2.11.d16 |