12 History Lessons + 7 Births & 7 Deaths for December 10, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1508 – The League of Cambrai is formed by Pope Julius II, France, the Holy Roman Empire, and Aragon as a grand alliance against the wealth and power of Venice, reshaping Italian Renaissance geopolitics.
- 1520 – Martin Luther publicly burns the papal bull Exsurge Domine outside Wittenberg’s Elster Gate, openly defying Pope Leo X and escalating the Protestant Reformation.
- 1869 – Wyoming Territory becomes the first government in the world to grant women full voting rights and eligibility for public office, earning its later nickname as the “Equality State.”
- 1896 – Alfred Nobel dies in Sanremo, Italy; his will directs his fortune to endow the Nobel Prizes, transforming his legacy from explosives to global humanitarian and scientific achievement.
- 1901 – The first Nobel Prize ceremony is held, honoring breakthroughs in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace on the fifth anniversary of Nobel’s death.
- 1936 – King Edward VIII signs the Instrument of Abdication, choosing marriage to Wallis Simpson over the British throne and unexpectedly pushing his niece, the young Princess Elizabeth, closer to becoming queen.
- 1941 – Japanese forces complete their rapid conquest of Guam, overwhelming a small American garrison and beginning a brutal occupation that will last until 1944.
- 1948 – The United Nations General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris, establishing a landmark global statement of fundamental freedoms and dignity for all people.
- 1964 – Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo for his nonviolent leadership in the U.S. civil rights movement, dedicating the award and prize money to the struggle for justice at home.
- 1983 – Raúl Alfonsín is inaugurated president of Argentina, marking the end of a brutal military dictatorship and the formal restoration of democratic rule.
- 1994 – Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin, and Shimon Peres jointly receive the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to advance the Oslo peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.
- 2007 – Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change share the Nobel Peace Prize for raising global awareness about human-driven climate change and the need for urgent action.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1941 – Fionnula Flanagan – Irish stage and screen actor known for rich, nuanced performances in works from James Joyce’s Women to The Others and Lost. (84)
- 1960 – Kenneth Branagh – Irish-born British actor and filmmaker celebrated for his Shakespeare adaptations and films like Henry V, Hamlet, and Belfast. (65)
- 1964 – Bobby Flay – American chef, restaurateur, and Food Network star known for bold Southwestern flavors and competitive cooking shows like Iron Chef America. (61)
- 1985 – Raven-Symoné – American actor, singer, and producer who grew from child star on The Cosby Show and That’s So Raven to a multi-hyphenate creator and host. (40)
- 1990 – Teyana Taylor – American singer, dancer, actor, and director whose work spans R&B hits, standout film roles, and acclaimed music videos and choreography. (35)
- 1992 – Melissa Roxburgh – Canadian actor best known as Michaela Stone on the series Manifest and, more recently, as an FBI agent lead in The Hunting Party. (33)
- 1996 – Joe Burrow – American quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, a Heisman Trophy winner and key NFL franchise player. (29)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1896 – Alfred Nobel – Swedish chemist and inventor of dynamite whose will created the Nobel Prizes and permanently linked his name with honoring human achievement. (63)
- 1967 – Otis Redding – American soul singer-songwriter whose life and career were cut short in a Wisconsin plane crash, soon before “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” became a posthumous No. 1 hit. (26)
- 2005 – Richard Pryor – Groundbreaking American stand-up comedian and actor whose raw, confessional style reshaped modern comedy. (65)
- 2006 – Augusto Pinochet – Former Chilean military ruler and dictator, facing hundreds of human-rights and corruption charges at the time of his death. (91)
- 2020 – Barbara Windsor – English actor and beloved British TV icon, famed for the Carry On films and her long-running role as Peggy Mitchell on EastEnders. (83)
- 2020 – Carol Sutton – New Orleans stage and screen actor whose warm, grounded performances graced films and series from local theater to Netflix’s Outer Banks. (76)
- 2021 – Michael Nesmith – American musician, songwriter, and member of The Monkees who later became an influential country-rock and music-video pioneer. (78)
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