THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Today is Friday, Dec. 16, the 351st day of 2016. There are 15 days left in the year.

IN THE NATION

1773: The Boston Tea Party took place. American colonists boarded a British ship and dumped more than 300 chests of tea into Boston Harbor to protest tea taxes.

1811: The first of the powerful New Madrid earthquakes struck the central Mississippi Valley with an estimated magnitude of 7.7.

IN THE WORLD

1653: Oliver Cromwell became lord protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

Actress Liv Ullmann is 78. TV producer Steven Bochco is 73. Pop singer Benny Andersson (ABBA) is 70. Rock singermusician Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) is 67. Actor-comedian JB Smoove is 51. Actress Krysten Ritter is 35.