December 13th

1204 ~ Death of Maimonides, Sephardi Philosopher.

1577 ~ Sir Francis Drake began his circumnavigation from Plymouth, England.

1642 ~ Abel Janszoon Tasman reached New Zealand.

1784 ~ Death of Samuel Johnson, Essayist.

1903 ~ Birthday of Carlos Montoya, Spanish-American guitarist who popularized flamenco guitar music.

1925 ~ Birthday of Dick Van Dyke, Actor & Comedian.

1941 ~ Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States.

1981 ~ Martial law imposed in Poland to try to control the Solidarity labor movement.

1996 ~ Kofi Annan elected as Secretary-General of the United Nations.

2003 ~ Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured near Tikrit.

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Eudaimonia