Today in History

1620 – The Mayflower docks at modern-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, and passengers prepare to begin their new settlement, Plymouth Colony.

1642 – First known encounter between Europeans and Ma¯ori as Abel Tasman’s expedition sails into Golden Bay. Tasman called it Murderers’ Bay after four of his crew were killed.

1865 – Slavery is abolished in the

United States, as the 13th Amendment is formally adopted into the US Constitution.

1892 – The Nutcracker Suite, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, premieres in St Petersburg, Russia.

1912 – Discovery is announced of Piltdown Man, a supposed evolutionary ‘‘missing link’’, in a chalk pit in southern England. It was later revealed to be a hoax.

1915 – US President Woodrow Wilson marries Edith Galt, left, in Washington DC. No president has since married while in office. 1916 – Ten-month Battle of Verdun ends after huge loss of life: 543,000 French and 434,000 German troops were killed.

1956 – Japan is admitted to the United Nations.

1988 – Air NZ female cabin crew win landmark ruling in the Equal Opportunities Tribunal, over claims that they were denied the same promotion opportunities as male co-workers.

2014 – Islamic extremist group Boko Haram kidnaps at least 185 people, including women and children, in northeast Nigeria.

Birthdays

Franz Ferdinand, Austrian archduke (1863-1914); Joseph Stalin, Russian dictator (1878-1953); Willy Brandt, German politician (1913-83); Keith Richards, UK musician (1943-); Steve Biko, South African activist (194677); Steven Spielberg, US film director (1946-); Brad Pitt, US actor (1963-); Craig Busch, NZ conservationist (1964-); Katie Holmes, US actor (1978-); Christina Aguilera, US singer (1980-).