Calendar for December 16th, 2012

2001: First Day of Chanukah

1773: A group of American patriots dressed as Indians dumped British tea overboard in Boston Harbor, protesting taxes by the British government; the event is referred to as the Boston Tea Party

Born 1775: Jane Austen (author)

1811: Magnitude-8.1 earthquake in northeast Arkansas

1811: Earthquake in Mississippi River Valley near Madrid, Missouri

1870: Current Cape Hatteras, N.C., lighthouse began operation

Born 1928: Philip K. Dick (author)

Born 1943: Steven Bochco (producer)

1954: 7.1 earthquake, Fairview Peak, Nevada

Born 1962: William "Refrigerator" Perry (football player)

Born 1963: Benjamin Bratt (actor)

1977: The film Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta, premiered. This film is credited with accelerating the disco craze

Born 1987: Hallee Hirsh (actress)

Born 1988: Anna Popplewell (actress)

Died 1997: Lillian Disney (wife of Walt Disney; came up with the name Mickey Mouse)

2001: Students’ satellite STARSHINE-2 deployed

Died 2005: John Spencer (actor)