Historical Events on December 31

Thomas Edison

Here are some historical events that happened on December 31:

1. 1600: The British East India Company was chartered.

2. 1775: During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Quebec took place.

3. 1857: Britain's Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada.

4. 1879: Thomas Edison demonstrated incandescent lighting to the public for the first time in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

5. 1907: The first New Year's Eve celebration was held in Times Square, New York City.

6. 1946: President Harry S. Truman officially proclaimed the end of hostilities in World War II.

7. 1955: General Motors became the first U.S. corporation to make over $1 billion in a year.

8. 1983: The AT&T Bell System is broken up by the United States Department of Justice.

9. 1991: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) officially ceased to exist as a political entity.

10. 1999: The United States transferred control of the Panama Canal to Panama.

11. 2004: The official opening of Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper at that time, took place in Taipei, Taiwan.

12. 2011: Samoa and Tokelau skipped December 30th and went straight to December 31st by moving to the other side of the International Date Line.

Remember that events on December 31st are often associated with New Year's Eve celebrations around the world.