1832 – South Carolina passes the Ordinance of Nullification, declaring that the Tariffs of 1832 and 1838 were null and void in the state, beginning the Nullification Crisis. The states were sovereign, existing within the framework of a Constitution that limited the powers of the Federal government. That all went away in the Civil War, but it’s back as cities and states declare themselves “sanctuary” for illegal aliens.

1835 – The Texas Provincial Government authorizes the creation of a horse-mounted police force called the Texas Rangers (which is now the Texas Ranger Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety).

Concerned Official: I called for the Texas Rangers to put down a riot. They only sent ONE?
Texas Ranger: You only got ONE riot, don’t’cha?

1859 – Charles Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species.

1906 – A 13–6 victory by the Massillon Tigers over their rivals, the Canton Bulldogs, for the “Ohio League” Championship, leads to accusations that the championship series was fixed and results in the first major scandal in professional American football. Come on, guys! Who do you think you are, the New England Patriots?

1941 – World War II: The United States grants Lend-Lease to the Free French Forces. the French who escaped Hitler had little besides their skivvies and a pompous figurehead.

1943 – World War II: The USS Liscome Bay is torpedoed near Tarawa and sinks. Only 272 of her crew of 916 were rescued. The ship was less than a year old.

1950 – UN troops begin an assault intending to end Korean War by Christmas. What they do is aggravate the Chicoms, who rush across the Yalu River, and the war goes on for years.

1963 – Lee Harvey Oswald is assassinated by Jack Ruby in the basement of Dallas police department headquarters on live television. Conspiracy? Oh… no… Purely coincidental act by a big-time JFK fan. Right?!?

1963 – Vietnam War: Newly sworn-in US President Lyndon B. (Lyin’ Bastard) Johnson confirms that the United States intends to continue supporting South Vietnam both militarily and economically.

1965 – Joseph-Désiré Mobutu seizes power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and becomes President; he rules the country (which he renames Zaire in 1971) for over 30 years, until being overthrown by rebels in 1997. This is standard politics in Africa.

1971 – During a severe thunderstorm over Washington state, a hijacker calling himself Dan Cooper (AKA D.B. Cooper) parachutes from a Northwest Orient Airlines plane with $200,000 in ransom money – neither he nor the money have ever been found.

1973 – A national speed limit is imposed on the Autobahn in Germany because of the 1973 oil crisis. The speed limit lasted only four months. A year later I’m in Germany and the locals are still shaking their heads about that boneheaded move. Nothing like passing a law that nobody obeys, like our own politicians did with the 55 MPH limit on interstate highways designed for 70. Local governments find a new love for traffic fines that continues to this day.