December 31st | On This Day In History

December 31st | On This Day In History

Posted by Hayley Adams on Dec 31st 2020

December 31st can hold a different meaning for many people. For some, it’s simply the last day of the year, for others, is a day of reflection. For some it’s a day of celebrating the past year and bringing in the new one. But one thing we can all agree on is that 2020 has been a wild ride and 2021 couldn’t come soon enough. So instead of reflecting on how much time was spent at home this past year, let's take a look at what December 31st looked like throughout history.

1999: Panama Canal Turned Over To Panama

December 31,1999 was a big day for the country of Panama. It was this day that the United States officially handed over full control of the Panama Canal to Panamanians in accordance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Crowds gathered together in celebration of the transfer of the 50-mile canal that joins the Atlantica and Pacific oceans. Since then, over 1 million ships have used the canal.

*Bonus Event* Let's not forget the Y2K scare… On this exact same day, there was quite a panic going on around the world. That was a dramatic midnight countdown!

Also On This Day…

1968: The Soviets Test Supersonic Airliner

The Soviet Union’s TU-144 makes it’s first flight on December 31st, 1968. This was the first official supersonic passenger aircraft which came several months before the Anglo-French Concorde that was created by the U.K. and French. The Soviet’s sent spies to illegally obtain information about the Concorde in order to finish before their Western neighbors. To date, the only supersonic aircrafts to see service have been the Concorde and the TU-144.

1775: Patriots are Defeated at Quebec

The Revolutionary War had just begun and the Patriots demanded the surrender of the city of Quebec, but Governor Sir Guy Carleton rejected their demand. It was on December 31st, 1775 that Patriot forces attempted to capture the city of Quebec under the darkness of the early and the heavy snow. The Patriots ultimately failed and General Arnold Montgomery lost his life.

1879: Thomas Edison Demonstrates Incandescent Light

Although the incandescent lamp was created 40 years earlier, no inventor has been able to create a practical design until Edison took the stage in the 1870’s. It was on this day that Edison stood in Menlo Park, New Jersey, and lit up a public street with incandescent bulbs for the first time in a public form. This event caused so much excitement, that The Pennsylvania Railroad Company ran special trains to the park on the day of the demonstration.

As you can see, December 31st has been a big day for many reasons throughout history. Between the triumphs and failures, we always make it out the other side. We can’t change history, but we can learn from it. Hey 2020, it’s been a heck of a year, bring on 2021!

Stay safe and have a Happy New Year!