December 20 Day!

Happy December 20th Day!  Celebrating the glory that is December 20th!

And all the exciting things that have happened on this pivotal day.  Such as Vespasian's big Day.  His old boss Nero died in 68, and lots of people tried to replace him on the Imperial Throne.  Not sure why, given the record of survival up to that point.  At any rate, it took until the following year (69 if you're following at home) before Vespasian comes along, claims the throne, and manages to hold onto it. 

Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham get the chance to take over on this date in 1192.  King Lion-Heart is enroute back to England from the Crusades, when he is captured by Leopold V of Austria on this date.  Not sure why, but I assume it was all about the Benjamins.  Or the Richards, as the case may be. 

In 1803, Jefferson does something that he knows is "right" but isn't sure is "legal".  But he takes the chance, and completes the Louisiana Purchase with France.  The US takes over New Orleans and a good chunk of the entire continent on this date in an official ceremony.  It's a godo deal all around- Napoleon gets money that he needs, loses the responsibility for a territory he can't defend, and the US gets a huge tract of land.

Things begin to go er, south, for the US on this date though.  In 1860, South Carolina secedes, finally carrying out a threat they've been making for about 30 years.  This time, they prove they'll do it.  And Lincoln does what Jackson threatened to do the first time around, during the Nullification Crisis (with thanks again to Richard Armour) and nullifies South Carolina.  But it takes a bit longer than expected, and costs a few hundred thousand more lives.  Ah well.

In 1946, Christmas gets a big boost from the awesome Jimmy Stewart on this date, as "It's a Wonderful Life" is released.  It becomes a classic, but then, you already know that. 

Manuel Noriega has a crappy day in 1989, when the US decided that he's not really as important as he thinks he is. So the US invades Panama, and Noriega becomes a footnote to history... Which might actually be more than he was fated to be had we not invaded.  Whatever.  He's removed from power, and that was a good thing.