Paine Ignites Revolution: The American Crisis Published
Thomas Paine launches the first of his "American Crisis" pamphlets to ignite colonial resolve, directly transforming wavering morale into the fighting spirit needed to survive the winter at Valley Forge. This surge in public support convinced thousands of hesitant soldiers to reenlist, ensuring the Continental Army remained intact when British forces threatened to crush the revolution.
December 19, 1776
250 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on December 19
Caracalla couldn't share power. His brother Geta arrived at their mother's apartments believing the family peace talks were real — he'd left his guards outside.…
Licinius didn't abdicate. He surrendered. Constantine's army had crushed his forces at Chrysopolis — 25,000 of Licinius's men dead in a single afternoon. His w…
Byzantine forces dragged Pope Martin I from Rome to Constantinople, where imperial judges subjected the pontiff to a sham trial for opposing Monothelitism. The …
Henry Plantagenet was 21 years old and already controlled more of France than the French king did. His coronation made him ruler of an empire stretching from Sc…
Nineteen cardinals locked themselves in the Lateran Palace for three days. When they finally emerged on December 19, 1187, they'd chosen Paolo Scolari—a Roman n…
Anne of Brittany was 13. Her duchy was Europe's last independent region between France and the Empire, and everyone wanted it. So her advisors married her to Ma…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.