- 1864 - In the American Civil War, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea ended with the capture of Savannah, Georgia.
- 1885 - Ito Hirobumi, a samurai from Choshu, became the first Prime Minister of Japan.
- 1989 - Romanian Revolution: After a week of bloody demonstrations, Ion Iliescu took over as President of Romania, ending the Communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceauşescu .
- 2001 - Burhanuddin Rabbani of the Northern Alliance handed over power in Afghanistan to the interim government headed by Hamid Karzai.
- 2001 - Cc the cat, the first cloned pet, was born.
Recent days: December 21 – December 20 – December 19
- 1864 - In the American Civil War, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea ended with the capture of Savannah, Georgia.
- 1885 - Ito Hirobumi, a samurai from Choshu, became the first Prime Minister of Japan.
- 1989 - Romanian Revolution: After a week of bloody demonstrations, Ion Iliescu took over as President of Romania, ending the Communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceauşescu .
- 2001 - Burhanuddin Rabbani of the Northern Alliance handed over power in Afghanistan to the interim government headed by Hamid Karzai.
- 2001 - Cc the cat, the first cloned pet, was born.
Recent days: December 21 – December 20 – December 19