Category: Note

On January 2, 1492, Muhammad XII, the last Emir of Granada, surrendered his city to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabel I of Castile. This ended both the Reconquista and centuries of Muslim rule in the Iberian peninsula. — January 2, 1890: A record 19.2 foot-long alligator was shot in Louisiana by American businessman Edward Avery McIlhenny. — Today’s feature article was too short to qualify for the judging in the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. We need more entries for Round 116 of the contest. More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. …

On January 1, 45 B.C., the Julian calendar took effect for the first time, by edict of Roman consul Julius Caesar. — January 1, 1583 was the first day of the Gregorian calendar in Holland and Flanders. — On January 1, 1600, Scotland first began its numbered year on January 1st instead of March 25th. — And on January 1, 1788, Quakers in Pennsylvania emancipated their slaves. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest …

On December 31, 1564 William I of Orange demanded freedom of religious conscience for his subjects in a dramatic speech to the Dutch Council of State. — December 31, 1776: Rhode Island established wage and price controls in a failed attempt to curb inflation. The state limited daily wages to 70 cents for carpenters and 42 cents for tailors. — Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog’s founder and Senior Editor James Wesley, Rawles (JWR). — We are in need of entries for thr second month of Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $935,000 worth of …

December 30, 1865 was the birthday of Rudyard Kipling. December 30, 1903: An electric arc lamp set fire to the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, leaving 602 dead in one of the deadliest single-building blazes in American history. December 30, 1933: A low temperature of -50°F (-46°C) was recorded in Bloomfield, Vermont. (A state record.) — Ready Made Resources is running a big End of Year Night Vision Sale is here! From now until midnight Central Time on December 31st, you can take advantage of some great deals. Stock is extremely limited, so don’t wait—secure your gear today! Plus, every …

On December 29, 1812: Under the command of Captain William Bainbridge, the USS Constitution captured the HMS Java off the coast of Brazil, after a three-hour battle. — A December 29, 1911 proclamation restored the marking “Dei Gratia” (“By God’s Grace”) on Canada’s coins. — And on December 29, 1937 Pan Am began flying boat service between San Francisco and Auckland, New Zealand. — Today’s feature article is a guest post by Brandon Smith, a friend and frequent content contributor to SurvivalBlog.com. — We are in need of entries for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than …

On December 28, 1537 French king Francis I issued a decree to booksellers and printers requiring them to deposit a copy of each of their works in the King’s Library. This was the world’s first legal depository requirement. — December 28,1944: Dutch Resistance fighter Corrie ten Boom was accidentally released from the Ravensbrück concentration camp. She lived on another 39 years to speak and write of her experiences in The Hiding Place.  She died in 1983 at age 91, in Placentia, California. — Today we present a short guest article.  It is not part of the judging for Round 116 …

December 27, 1943: Following a naval gun battle with British ships, the German battleship Scharnhorst sank. It was sunk by the Royal Navy’s battleship HMS Duke of York with support of cruisers and destroyers, including an onslaught from the destroyer HNoMS Stord of the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy, off the North Cape, Norway. — On this day in 1949, four years after nationalist revolutionary leader Sukarno had declared Indonesia’s independence, formal sovereignty over the country was transferred from the Dutch to the United States of Indonesia. — And on December 27, 1978 Spain became a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship …

December 26, 1776: During the American War of Independence, after crossing the Delaware River, George Washington led US troops to defeat the Hessian mercenaries in the Battle of Trenton, New Jersey. — Twenty years ago today, on December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean region Tsunami took more than 250,000 lives. — December 26, 1947: Heavy snow blanketed the Northeast, burying New York City under 25.8″ of snow in 16 hours. That same day, Los Angeles set a record high of 84°F. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The …

We send our best wishes to both our readers who celebrate Christmas and to those who celebrate Hanukkah and the Biblical feasts.  May God grant his blessings on our nation in the new year! — On December 25, 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, completing the Norman conquest of England. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the …

On December 24, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed, ending the War of 1812 between the United States, the United Kingdom, and their allies. — December 24, 1818: The Christmas carol Stille Nacht (“Silent Night”) composed by Franz Xaver Gruber was first sung at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. — And on December 24, 1889, Daniel Stover & William Hance patented a bicycle with a back-pedal brake. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists …

December 23, 1788: Maryland voted to cede a 10 square mile area for the District of Columbia. — December 23, 1907: The first all-steel passenger railroad coach was completed by the Pullman Company, in Altoona, Pennsylvania. — Today’s featured article was written by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson. — We are seeking entries for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. …

December 22, 1790: The supposedly impenetrable Turkish fortress of Izmail was stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies during the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792). — The December 22, 1989 Cold Wave: Recorded temperatures included: -6°F in Tulsa, Oklahoma; -12°F in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; -18°F in Denver, Colorado; -23°F in Kansas City, Missouri; -42°F in Scottsbluff, Nebraska; -47°F in Hardin, Montana; and -60°F in Black Hills, South Dakota. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest …

The Winter Solstice has finally arrived. Those of us who are gardeners can now look forward to longer days and a Spring planting date.  Patience, folks! — On December 21, 1784, John Jay became acting US Secretary of State. He served in that office from 1789 to 1790. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than …

December 20, 1192: On his way home from the Third Crusade, English King Richard the Lionheart (Richard Cœur de Lion) was captured near Vienna by troops of Leopold of Austria. He was released 1194. — On December 20th, 1606, the Virginia Company loaded three ships with settlers and set sail to establish Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide …

On December 19, 1732, Benjamin Franklin, under the pseudonym Richard Saunders, began publication of “Poor Richard’s Almanack”. He produced an annual issue for the next 25 years. — December 19, 1972: Apollo 17 — the last of Apollo manned Moon landing series — returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, southeast of Samoa. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model …