December 16 in Pop Culture History

December 16th History, Trivia, and Fun Facts

December 16th History Highlights

  • 1773 – The Boston Tea Party: Members of the Sons of Liberty, disguised as Mohawk Indians, dumped hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.
  • 1944 – The Battle of the Bulge
  • 1947 – William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain built the first practical point-contact transistor.
  • 1950 -US President Harry S. Truman declares a state of emergency after Chinese troops enter the fight in support of communist North Korea.
  • If you were born on December 16th,
    You were likely conceived the week of… March 24th (same year)

The Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was an event that took place on December 16, 1773. It is now remembered as the culmination of a series of protests by the Sons of Liberty in response to British tax policies which were oppressive and without colonial representation. The protest involved dumping chests of tea into Boston Harbor, ruining huge amounts worth of East India Company’s expensive imported commodity. This led to Parliament passing punitive measures against Massachusetts Bay Colony, with many considering this act one cause for the American Revolution.

The Boston Tea Party was an act of protest against British policies, which they felt were oppressive and unfair, particularly regarding taxes on tea imports from China. The protests culminated with dumping chests of tea into Boston Harbor, ruining huge amounts worth of East India Company’s expensive product. This ultimately led Parliament to pass punitive measures against the Massachusetts Bay Colony and is considered one cause for the American Revolution.

The Boston Tea Party Museum now stands as a popular tourist destination in the city, commemorating this crucial moment in American history. It serves as a reminder of how colonists can stand up to unfair treatment from their government and fight for their rights. Visitors can learn about the events leading up to the tea party, as well as the aftermath and its significance in American history. This makes for an informative and interesting experience for all who visit.

Arthur C. Clarke’s Three Laws

First law: When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
Second law: The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
Third law: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

National Green Chili Day

National Green Chili Day is celebrated each year on December 16th. The holiday was founded in 2014 as a day for green chili pepper lovers to gather and enjoy the many delicious dishes that are made with green chilis. 

All About Green Chilis
Green chilis originated in Central and South America. Today they can be found worldwide and are especially popular in Indian cuisine. There are many varieties, each with its own look, taste, and level of spiciness. Green chilis are slightly less spicy than red chilis and have a unique flavor. They contain many vitamins and are a good source of potassium and calcium. 

How to Celebrate National Green Chili Day
There is no playbook to follow for celebrating this day. You might host a gathering of chili pepper lovers and enjoy some unique green chili dishes together. You could try making a new recipe yourself for dinner. And if you’ve never cooked with green chilis before, December 16th is the day to start. 

Green Chili Dishes

There are countless ways to cook with green chilis. Here are a few of the most popular dishes you may want to try when celebrating National Green Chili Day.

  • Chili Verde: a stew made of crushed green chilis, slow-cooked meat (usually pork), garlic, onions, and spices
  • Poha (or Pohe): an Indian breakfast dish made with flattened rice, onions, potatoes, green chilis, and spices and herbs
  • Green Chili Corn Casserole: There are many varities of this dish that contains sweet or creamed corn, green chilis, cheeses, and other delicious ingredients.

December 16th is…

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
Stupid Toy Day

December 16th Birthday Quotes

“Fear… can make you do more wrong than hate or jealousy. If you’re afraid you don’t commit yourself to life completely; fear makes you always, always hold something back.”
– Philip K. Dick

“People are wrong when they say opera is not what it used to be. It is what it used to be. That is what’s wrong with it.”
– Noël Coward

“The one thing for an actor that is death, is if you’re bored. The boredom will show in your work. It’s an amazing blessing to do something you love.”
– Benjamin Bratt

“The higher the building the lower the morals.”
– Noël Coward

“Perhaps it is better to be un-sane and happy, than sane and un-happy. But it is the best of all to be sane and happy. Whether our descendants can achieve that goal will be the greatest challenge of the future. Indeed, it may well decide whether we have any future.”
– Arthur C. Clarke

“Law school teaches you one thing above all: how to speak while saying absolutely nothing.”
– Krysten Ritter

“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”
– Philip K. Dick

December 16th Birthdays

1534 – Hans Bol, Flemish artist (died in 1593)
1770 – Ludwig van Beethoven, composer (died in 1827)
1899 – Noël Coward, English actor, playwright, and composer (died in 1973)
1901 – Margaret Mead, American anthropologist and author (died in 1978)
1917 – Arthur C. Clarke, British science fiction writer (died in 2008)
1928 – Philip K. Dick, American writer (died in 1982)
1941 – Lesley Stahl, American journalist
1946 – Benny Andersson, Swedish singer-songwriter, ABBA
1961 – Shane Black, American actor, director, and screenwriter
1961 – Bill Hicks, American comedian, and musician (died in 1994)
1963 – Benjamin Bratt, American actor
1981 – Krysten Ritter, American actress
1987 – Hallee Hirsh, American actress
1997 – Zara Larsson, Swedish singer, and songwriter
1999 – The Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson Dolan), American YouTubers

December 16th History

1707 (Eruption) The last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan.

1777 – Virginia became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.

1811 (Earthquake) An 8.6 magnitude earthquake hit the United States, the largest in our history. The area affected included: Missouri, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Amazingly, no people were killed.

1835 – Great Fire of New York City. Over 600 buildings were destroyed.

1884 – The first US patent (#309,219) was issued for an automatic liquid vending machine to William H. Fruen of Minneapolis, MN. People could get a measured amount of a liquid for coin payment.

1893 – Czech composer Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E Minor From the New World was performed at Carnegie Hall. The music had African roots, and the piece greatly influenced the American musical landscape for the next century.

1912 -The world’s first stamp to depict an airplane was issued in the US, available at Post Offices on January 1, 1912.

1920 (Earthquake) Haiyuan County, Ningxia, China

1944 – Attacking the Allies in northern France through northwestern Belgium, Hitler’s army started the Operation Mist (aka Ardennes Offensive or the Battle of the Bulge).

1951Dragnet debuted on NBC.

On December 16, 1965, The first music played in Space was on GEMINI SIX, to wake up Astronauts Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford – it was the first Musical Astronaut WAKE UP CALL, that has become a tradition with NASA since then. Jack Jones sang a parody of the hit Broadway tune Hello Dolly – which was a big hit at the time.
In the early days, they went with classical music like Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, Hungarian Rhapsody #2 by Lizst, and Madame Butterfly by Puccini. Over Time they really mixed it up, Flinstones Theme, Theme From Friends, and Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner, which would be an excellent song to wake up to, with a sunrise over the Earth’s Horizon.

1968 -Second Vatican Council: Officially revoked of the 1492 Edict of Expulsion of Jews from Spain.

1972 – #1 Hit December 16, 1972 – January 5, 1973: Billy Paul – Me and Mrs. Jones

1983Silkwood and Uncommon Valor debuted in theaters.

1988Rain Man, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Torch Song Trilogy were released in theaters.

1994 – Dumb and Dumber was released in theaters.

2006 – #1 Hit December 16, 2006 – February 23, 2007: Beyonce – Irreplaceable

2010- CNN’s Larry King Live aired the last original episode.

2011Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol were released in theaters.

Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts

Make out your Chopin Liszt early before Debussy season, when you have time to check out Verdi good bargains are, can still get gifts Faure good price, not have to Handel large crowds and have time to give Bach things you decide you don’t want.

Every day, man is making beggir and better fool-proof things, and every day, nature is making beggir and better fools. So far, I think nature is winning.

Astronauts Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford made Jingle Bells the first song performed in space. They played it on a harmonica with bells (and implied spotting Santa) while orbiting Earth on Gemini 6 on Dec. 16, 1965.

The Capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires

“Rosebud.” – Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) in Citizen Kane, 1941

Three sports movies have won the Oscar for best picture: Rocky (1976), Chariots of Fire (1981), and Million Dollar Baby (2004)

They say you shouldn’t make mountains out of molehills, but somewhere out there there are actual moles making molehills out of mountains. Good on them.

The 1960 Italian film La Dolce Vita was the origin of the term ‘paparazzi’, named after a character in the film, Paparazzo.

The ‘talking mirror’ trope from fairy tales probably originated when a careless time-traveler was seen using a Smartphone or a tablet.

1986, London’s bakers apologized for the Great Fire of London, 320 years after it happened.

“It never rains in California… Matadors…” #misunderstoodlyrics

The Scary Statistic: Lightning Strike odds: 1-in-83,930

What to do: Stay indoors, be grounded, or live in your car.

Many people who win the lottery end up bankrupt. Few financially responsible people win the lottery, because buying lottery tickets is not a financially responsible thing to do.

The Capital of Antigua and Barbuda is Saint John’s

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