DECEMBER 18, 1737- Famed violin maker Antonio Stradivari died in Cremona, Italy. Stradivari's instruments are regarded as amongst the finest bowed stringed instruments ever created and are still played by professionals today. In addition to violins, Stradivari also made guitars, violas and cellos, including one currently used by Yo-Yo Ma. The top five world record prices paid for any musical instrument are for Stradivarius violins and were all sold at auction by Christie's. On May 16, 2006, Christie's of New York auctioned a Stradivarius called The Hammer for a record $3,544,000.

DECEMBER 20, 1803 - Under President Thomas Jefferson the United States purchased the Louisiana territory from France for $15 million. The 828,800 square miles of territory accounts for 23 percent of the total area of the United States and encompasses all or part of 14 current states. Even though the United States acquired the territory for less than three cents per acre, the purchase was not without controversy and nearly lead to a secession of the New England states.

DECEMBER 21, 1988 - Pan Am Flight 103 crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland after a bomb planted by Libyan terrorists exploded aboard the airliner. The bombing claimed the lives of all 259 people on the plane as well as 11 townspeople. On August 16, 2003, Libya formally admitted responsibility for the Pan Am Flight 103 disaster in a letter presented to the president of the United Nations Security Council, which said Libya "accepted responsibility for the actions of its officials" but did not express any remorse for the people killed in the bombing.