Historical Events on December 20

Here are some historical events that happened on December 20:

1. 1803: The United States formally took possession of the Louisiana Territory from France in a ceremony known as the Three Flags Day.

2. 1860: South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States, leading to the eventual formation of the Confederacy.

3. 1946: The Christmas film "It's a Wonderful Life," directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, premiered in New York City.

4. 1957: Elvis Presley received his draft notice from the U.S. Army.

5. 1989: The United States invaded Panama in an operation code-named "Operation Just Cause," with the goal of ousting Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega.

6. 1995: NATO began peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.

7. 1999: Macau was handed back to China by Portugal, ending over 400 years of Portuguese colonial rule.

8. 2007: The troubled subprime mortgage lender, the Countrywide Financial Corporation, agreed to a buyout offer from Bank of America for $4.1 billion.

9. 2011: The United States officially ended its military involvement in Iraq, marking the official end of the Iraq War.

10. 2013: China successfully launched its lunar rover, Chang'e-3, which later landed on the Moon.

These are just a few examples, and many other significant events may have occurred on December 20 throughout history.