Today in History - December 22nd

1807 - On this day in history, Congress passed Embargo Act, to force peace between Britain & France.
1864 - Union Gen. William T. Sherman sent a message to President Lincoln from Georgia. The message read, "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah."
1910 - Today in history, postal savings stamps were issued for the first time. They were discontinued in 1914.
1919 - US deported 250 alien radicals, including anarchist Emma Goldman.
1937 - On this day in history, The Lincoln Tunnel (NYC) opened to traffic.
1941 - Winston Churchill arrived in Washington, DC for a wartime conference.
1942 - Today in history, Adolf Hitler signed the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon.
1961 - James Davis became the first Americansoldier to die in Vietnam, while US involvement was still limited to the provision of military advisers.
1964 - On this day in history, comedian Lenny Bruce was convicted of obscenity.
1965 - Director David Lean's "Dr Zhivago," premiered.

1970 - Today in history, Treblinka's SS commander Franz Stangl was sentenced to life imprisonment.
1984 - Bernhard Goetz shot 4 alleged black muggers on NYC subway train.
1990 - On this day in history, Lech Walesa was sworn in as Poland's first popularly elected president.
2010 - The repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning on homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

SCIENCE, DISCOVERIES, PATENTS - Today in History, December 22nd

1870 - Today in history, Jules Janssen flew in a balloon in order to study a solar eclipse.
1882 - First string of Christmas tree lights were created by Thomas Edison.
1895 - On this day in history, German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen made the first X-ray of his wife's hand.
997 - The Merck baldness pill for men was approved by FDA.

1858 - Today in history, Composer Giacomo Puccini was born.
1894 - Debussy's "Prélude à l'apres-midi d'un faune," premiered.
1976 - On this day in history, East Germany banished singer Nina Hagen.
984 - CBS Records announced the upcoming release of Mick Jagger's first solo album "She's the Boss."
1987 - Today in history, Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx overdosed from heroin.
1991 - Gregg Allman made his acting debut as a drug kingpin in the movie "Rush."