What happened on December 23rd?

The final revolutionary act of the Revolutionary War

Author

Matthew Jones
December 23, 2024

1783 George Washington Steps Down as Head of the Continental Army

On December 23rd, 1783, after leading the American army to a hard-fought victory over the British in the Revolutionary War, many suspected George Washington would assume power of the nascent nation. He resigned, however, on this day in 1783, ceding power to the Continental Congress. This resignation and his faith in Congress would eventually pave the way to American democracy.  

This painting, done by Henry Hintermeister, depicts George Washington saying farewell to his troops at Fraunces Tavern, New York, in 1783.

🗞️Today’s Headlines

1995 – Aleksander Kwaśniewski was inaugurated as Polish president, and would serve 10 years, during which Poland joined NATO and the EU, and established a new constitution.

1972 – Pittsburgh Steeler running back Franco Harris made the “Immaculate Reception,” catching a pass off a wild ricochet and scoring as time expired in an AFC playoff game. 

1941 – Early in World War II, Japanese forces, coming off their attack on Pearl Harbor, defeated US troops at the Battle of Wake Island and took nearly 1200 US civilian prisoners.

1913 – President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve System into being in hopes of stabilizing the US economy and preventing dramatic downturns like what was experienced in 1907.

1815 – British author Jane Austen published her fourth novel, Emma, which didn’t sell well in Austen’s lifetime, but is now known worldwide and translated into more than 18 languages.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

Alexander I (1777) – Russian emperor who swapped allegiances with Napoleon several times before ultimately opposing and defeating him in 1812.

Joseph Smith (1805) – The founder of the Mormon Church, which was based on the Book of Mormon, his interpretation of golden plates that he claimed were the direct word of God.

Chet Baker (1929) – Chet Baker found fame as an American jazz musician in the early 1950s as a talented trumpet player and vocalist, but faded quickly due to addictions and prison stints. 

Akihito (1933) – The emperor of Japan for 30 years, beginning in 1989 and ending with his abdication in 2019 after a prolonged era of peace.

 🪦Who Died Today?

John Cotton (1652) –  A vicar in the Anglican church in Massachusetts, before turning away from English rule, making him an influential leader in the colonial US. 

Hideki Tōjō (1948) – The prime minister of Japan for much of World War II was executed on this day for war crimes committed under his command. 

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