TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT Nov. 30, 1874

British statesman Sir Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace.

ALSO ON THIS DATE

1782

The United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in Sept. 1783.

1835

Samuel Langhorne Clemens _ better known as Mark Twain _ was born in Florida, Missouri.

1900

Irish writer Oscar Wilde died in Paris at age 46.

1939

The Winter War began as Soviet troops invaded Finland.

1960

The last DeSoto was built by Chrysler, which had decided to retire the brand after 32 years.

1966

The former British colony of Barbados became independent.

1981

The United States and the Soviet Union opened negotiations in Geneva aimed at reducing nuclear weapons in Europe.

1982

The Michael Jackson album “Thriller” was released by Epic Records. The motion picture “Gandhi,” starring Ben Kingsley as the Indian nationalist leader, had its world premiere in New Delhi.

1993

President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, which required a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers.