The week of December 9th through the 15th is significant in American history, bookended by colonial milestones and culminating in the ratification of the nation’s foundational rights. This period highlights moments of political firsts, critical war decisions, and major constitutional developments, including the establishment of the Bill of Rights and the Supreme Court’s role in presidential elections. It encompasses pivotal events from the Revolutionary War era and the Civil War to the onset of World War II and the modern political landscape.
December 9
- 1872: P.B.S. Pinchback Becomes First Black U.S. Governor
Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (Republican) became the first African American to serve as a U.S. state governor.
- 1775: Battle of Great Bridge Concludes
During the American Revolutionary War, the Patriot militia defeated British troops and Loyalists at the Battle of Great Bridge, Virginia. This decisive victory forced the royal governor, Lord Dunmore, to evacuate his forces from Virginia, effectively ending British rule in the colony.
December 10
- 1898: Spanish-American War Ends with Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the Spanish-American War. Under the treaty, Spain ceded Puerto Rico and Guam to the U.S., sold the Philippines to the U.S. for \$20 million, and relinquished its claim to Cuba, which gained nominal independence.
- 1817: Mississippi Admitted to the Union
Mississippi was admitted as the 20th U.S. state. Its entry maintained the fragile balance of power in the U.S. Senate between free and slave states, joining as the tenth slave state.
December 11
- 1941: Germany and Italy Declare War on the U.S.
Four days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy declared war on the United States. The U.S. Congress immediately voted to pass reciprocal declarations of war against the Axis powers, formally entering the U.S. into the European theatre of World War II.
- 1816: Indiana Admitted to the Union
Indiana was admitted as the 19th U.S. state. The addition of Indiana, which was admitted as a free state, preceded Mississippi’s admission the following year, continuing the pattern of balancing the political representation between free and slave states.
December 12
- 2000: Bush v. Gore Supreme Court Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Bush v. Gore, effectively ending the recount in Florida’s 2000 presidential election. The decision halted the manual recounting of ballots, leading to Republican George W. Bush winning Florida’s electoral votes and, consequently, the presidency.
- 1787: Pennsylvania Ratifies the U.S. Constitution
Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, following Delaware. As the first of the large states to ratify, its approval was a major boost for the Federalists and the cause of establishing a new central government.
December 13
- 2000: Al Gore Concedes the Presidential Election
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bush v. Gore, Democratic Vice President Al Gore conceded the presidential election to Republican Texas Governor George W. Bush, bringing an end to the protracted 36-day political and legal dispute over the 2000 election results.
- 1636: Founding of the U.S. National Guard
The Massachusetts Bay Colony organized three permanent militia regiments to defend against the Pequot Indians. This date is officially recognized by the Department of Defense as the birth date of the U.S. National Guard, marking the beginning of the organized militia system in the U.S
December 14
- 1799: Death of George Washington
George Washington, the commander of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States, died at his Mount Vernon estate in Virginia. His death led to a nationwide outpouring of grief and cemented his legacy as the “Father of His Country.”
- 1819: Alabama Admitted to the Union
Alabama was admitted as the 22nd U.S. state. Like Mississippi, it entered the Union as a slave state, continuing the policy of admitting states in pairs (one free, one slave) to maintain political equilibrium in Congress.
December 15
- 1791: The Bill of Rights Ratified
The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified by the Virginia General Assembly, completing the ratification process and making them law. The amendments guarantee fundamental civil liberties and rights to the people.
- 1890: Sitting Bull Killed
Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull was killed by Indian police working for the U.S. government on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota. His death, during an attempt to arrest him, was a major catalyst that led to the Wounded Knee Massacre two weeks later.
