Events
- 1782 – American Revolutionary War: Treaty of Paris – In Paris, representatives from the United States and the Kingdom of Great Britain sign preliminary peace articles (later formalized as the 1783 Treaty of Paris).
- 1803 – In New Orleans, Spanish representatives officially transfer the Louisiana Territory to a French representative. Just 20 days later, France transfers the same land to the United States as the Louisiana Purchase.
- 1804 – The Democratic-Republican-controlled United States Senate begins an impeachment trial of Federalist Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase.
- 1902 – American Old West: Kid Curry Logan, second-in-command of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch gang, is sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with hard labor.
- 1908 – A mine explosion in Marianna, Pennsylvania, kills 154.
- 1940 – Lucille Ball marries Desi Arnaz in Greenwich, Connecticut.
- 1954 – In Sylacauga, Alabama, United States, the Hodges Meteorite crashes through a roof and hits a woman taking an afternoon nap in the only documented case of a human being hit by a rock from space.
- 1972 – Vietnam War: White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler tells the press that there will be no more public announcements concerning American troop withdrawals from Vietnam due to the fact that troop levels are now down to 27,000.
- 1981 – Cold War: In Geneva, representatives from the United States and the Soviet Union begin to negotiate intermediate-range nuclear weapon reductions in Europe. (The meetings end inconclusively on December 17.)
- 1982 – Michael Jackson's second solo album, Thriller is released worldwide. It will become the best-selling record album in history.
- 1993 – U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (the Brady Bill) into law.
- 1995 – U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Northern Ireland and speaks in favour of the "Northern Ireland peace process" to a huge rally at Belfast City Hall. He calls terrorists "yesterday's men".
- 1998 – Exxon and Mobil sign a US$73.7 billion agreement to merge, thus creating ExxonMobil, the world's largest company.
- 1999 – In Seattle, United States, protests against a WTO meeting by anti-globalization protesters catch police unprepared and force the cancellation of opening ceremonies.
- 2001 – In Renton, Washington, United States, Gary Ridgway (aka The Green River Killer) is arrested.
- 2004 – Longtime Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings of Salt Lake City, finally loses, leaving him with US$2,520,700, television's biggest game show winnings.