The People History Home

December 21st Major News Events

  1. 1988 Scotland -- Pan Am Flight 103
  2. 1913 U.S.A. -- First Cross Word Puzzle
  3. 1937 U.S.A. -- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  4. 1991 Russia -- Commonwealth of Independent States
  5. 2012 Worldwide -- Observers Celebrate Mayan Calendar End

Find More Details for What happened 21st December This Day in History on your birthday

1988 Scotland -- Pan Am Flight 103

Pan Am Flight 103 the third daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London's Heathrow International Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport was destroyed by a terrorist bomb, and the remains landed in and around the town of Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland Find More What happened in 1988

1902 Ireland -- Flour Mills

A group of investors planned to spend $5,000,000-$15,000,000 to build flour mills in major cities in Ireland. The Irish flour business was failing due to importing grain from America and other countries.

1913 U.S.A. -- First Cross Word Puzzle

1913 : The first crossword puzzle was published, which was created by Arthur Wynne, a Liverpool journalist, and published as a "word-cross" puzzle in the New York World

1923 Turkey -- Strong Porters

In Turkey their porters are reported to be the strongest men on earth. One porter can carry 100 pounds for 20 miles. They live on a diet of fruit and olives.

1933 Scotland -- Property Crimes

Property crimes with violence had increased in Scotland. In 1929 there were 954 property crimes and by 1932 there were 1528.

1937 U.S.A. -- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the first feature-length animated movie becomes a classic and a financial success helping Disney to create bigger and better animated movies over the next 70 years.

1946 Japan -- Tsunami

1946 : An undersea earthquake sets off a powerful tsunami that devastates Honshu, Japan sending 20 foot waves which obliterated buildings leaving 2,000 people dead and half a million homeless.

Born This Day In History December 21st

Celebrating Birthdays Today

Jane Fonda

Born: 21st December 1937 New York City, New York, U.S.

Known For : Jane Fonda best known as an actress who has won two Academy awards, The first Academy Award for Best Actress playing the part of Bree Daniels in the movie ( 1971 ) Klute, The second award was for Academy Award for Best Actress playing the part of Sally Hyde in the movie ( 1978 ) Coming Home. Her other well known movies include Cat Ballou, Barbarella, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Julia, The China Syndrome, Nine to Five, On Golden Pond and The Morning After. She has also been a high profile activist over the years beginning in the 60's with Anti Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, she has also been an outspoken advocate of women's rights and the feminist movement. She is also remembered for her Jane Fonda's Workout Video and book, one of the most successful of it's type.

Samuel L. Jackson

Born: 21st December 1948 Washington, D.C, U.S.

Known For : Samuel L. Jackson best known for his roles in the movies including Jungle Fever, Pulp Fiction, Jurassic Park, Coach Carter, Die Hard with a Vengeance and Shaft to name just a few.

1948 China -- Economy

In northern China communist encroachment and the collapse of the anti-communist government of Chaing Kai-shek sent shock waves to the U.S. and the international economy. The market for American goods was diminished.

1956 U.S.A. -- Martin Luther King, Jr

Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the first passengers of the new integrated bus system in Georgia where blacks and whites rode together

1957 India -- Prime Minister Nehru

Prime Minister Nehru of India gave a speech in which he said that India wanted friendly relations with the U.S. . However, Nehru and his son Krishna Menon have often blasted the U.S. and tried to play them off against the communists.

1958 France -- General Charles de Gaulle

General Charles de Gaulle is elected President of France with a large majority.

1962 England -- Polaris Missiles

1962 : Britain is to buy a number of Polaris missiles from the United States as part of Btitains nuclear deterrent , it is designed to be fired from a submarine and will carry a nuclear warhead .

1966 Zambia -- President

1966 : Dr. Kenneth Katunda, President of Zambia, addressed the United Nations and said, "About twenty-four months ago, I stood on this rostrum representing the youngest of the family of independent and free nations." Katunda said that Zambia had enjoyed being independent.

1970 U.S.A. -- Elvis Presley

President Richard M. Nixon enlists the help of Elvis Presley in his fight against drugs and invites him to the Oval Office.

1977 Soviet Union -- Political Dissidents

Political dissidents in the Soviet Union were punished with exile and some found homes in the West. However, some exiled Soviets found it difficult adapting to life in the West and discovered that their political protests were not as effective as when they were confronting the KGB.

1985 Lebanon -- Terry Waite

1985 : Terry Waite, representing the Anglican Church, negotiated with Moslem kidnappers to try freeing their American captives for Christmas. He said that he would like to keep a low profile while the negotiations proceeded.

1991 Russia -- Commonwealth of Independent States

The birth of the Commonwealth of Independent States consisting of eleven former Soviet Republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

1993 U.S.A. -- Wellcome Plc

Two major drug companies - Warner-Lambert Co. and Wellcome Plc. were merging their over-the-counter medication industries to try capturing the worldwide market. Branches in Europe, Australia, and Canada were to open up and sales were projected at over $1.6 billion.

100 years of price Change

100 Years Of Price Changes

We spent many hours researching cost of living information for each year and I created this page after being asked a number of times about why I did not include current prices alongside our cost of living information for each year and thought this was the easiest way to make the information available. includes Average Cost Of New Home, Average Wages, New Car cost, Gallon Of Gas and a 1lb Hamburger Meat, 1920 to 2023

From 1960s Food Prices Page

  • Banquet Frozen Dinners 39 cents Wisconsin 1963
  • Cambells Soup 89 cents for 6 cans Massachusetts 1965
  • Cheerios 25 cents per pk California 1961
  • Cheerios Cereal 28 cents per pk New Jersey 1966
  • Del Monte Peaches 29 cents per can      1960
  • Egg Nog 69 cents per quart Massachusetts 1965
  • Frozen Chicken Pies 29 cents California 1966

1995 Palestine -- Bethlehem

Bethlehem became one of the areas under the full control of the Palestinian National Authority in conformance with the Oslo Accords.

2006 Greece -- Esphigmenou

Esphigmenou, a 1,000 year old monastery seen to be the seat of Orthodox Christianity, was defended by monks brandishing crowbars and sledge hammers. Rebel monks lived in the monastery and refused to reconcile with the Vatican.

2006 North Korea -- North Korea nuclear talks end without agreement

Talks on North Korea's nuclear program today have ended with Pyongyang refusing to drop its demands for the US to lift financial restrictions. The six-party talks, held in Beijing, concluded without agreeement on the implementation of a 2005 accord, in which North Korea would be disarming in exchange for aid. The United States, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea had resumed talking after a thirteen month boycott by the North.

2007 South Africa -- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has emerged as the top candidate in the vote for the National Executive Committee (N.E.C.) of South Africa's governing party. When the African National Congress (A.N.C.) announced the election of its National Executive Committee on December 21, 2007, Mandela was given first place. The ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela was endorsed by 2,845 of the 3,605 delegates in the conference, which took place in the northern town of Polokwane. She had not been active in the A.N.C. since 2003 (when she was convicted of fraud).

2007 England -- Tony Blair

2007 : Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has left the Anglican Church to become a Roman Catholic. His wife and children were already Catholic, and there had been some speculation that he would convert after leaving office. Cardinal Cormac Murphy- O'Connor, who led the service to welcome Blair, said he was 'very glad' to do so, but ex-Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe, herself a Catholic convert, has said that Blair's voting record as an M.P. had often 'gone against church teaching.' Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, had said in 2006 that he had prayed to God when deciding whether or not to send U.K. troops into Iraq. There is some controversy on whether Blair’s conversion was in pursuit of the presidency of the European Union, and on how deep his belief is.

2008 Iran -- Police raid Iranian human rights group in Tehran

Iranian police have raided the office of a human rights group led by the Nobel laureate, Shirin Ebadi. The group has also been closed down. Judiciary officials have said that the center was acting as an illegal political party, and had contacts with local and foreign organisations. The raid came shortly before the center was to host a celebration for the sixtieth anniversary of Human Rights Day.

2011 United States -- US Navy Sees First Gay Kiss at Traditional Dockside Event

2011 : Two female US sailors became the first same-sex couple to share the traditional dockside kiss after the US ended the ban on gays in the military. One of the women won the raffle for the right to be the first to kiss her partner after getting to shore.

2012 Worldwide -- Observers Celebrate Mayan Calendar End

People gathered in Central America and around the world to mark what some believed was the "end of the world" predicted by the end of the Mayan calendar. An actual apocalypse never manifested.

2013 Australia -- Fishermen Saved by Cooler

Two Australian fishermen were saved off the coast of New South Wales after their boat capsized. The two men were forced to hang on to a floating cooler for nearly fifteen hours before they were rescued.

From our 1980s Furniture

1989 Videotape Storage Cabinet

1989 Videotape Storage Cabinet

Price: $79.99

This custom-crafted oak-grained cabinet opens to reveal storage for up to 120 video tapes. With inserts included, holds 92 video tapes, 18 CD's and 14 audio cassettes. Doors lock for complete security.


1987 Clock Radio TV

1987 Clock Radio TV

Price: $79.95

AM/FM Clock/Radio with four and a half inch black and white TV. Red LED digital time display with AM indicator. High/low dimmer control. Snooze bar. Battery backup system. Earphone jack. Telescopic FM antenna. White plastic cabinet.


Toys From The 1990s

Vintage Nintendo Game Boy Compact Video Game System

Vintage Nintendo Game Boy Compact Video Game System

Vintage Nintendo Game Boy Compact Video Game System
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Price: $89.99

A hand-held version of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Features Tetris Game Pack, LCD dot-matrix game screen, and digital stereo sound with earphones for private play. Video Link cable hook-up allows two Game Boy systems to go head-to-head.




Tickle Me Elmo

Tickle Me Elmo

Tickle Me Elmo
Manufacturer: Tyco
Price: $27.99

Tickle his tummy once to make him giggle, twice to make him laugh longer. Tickle him a third time and he shakes with laughter. This was one of the most popular toys for the 1996 Christmas season, with many stores running out of stock and battling crowds trying to get their hands on one.
From Our 1996 Toys Page