December 1973
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January
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The following events occurred in December 1973.
January 1973
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1973.-January 1, 1973 :...
– February
February 1973
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1973.-February 1, 1973 :...
– March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December
The following events occurred in December 1973.
December 1, 1973 (Saturday)
- Papua New GuineaPapua New GuineaPapua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
gains self-government from AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as a forerunner to independence. - Died: David Ben-GurionDavid Ben-Gurion' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
, 87, Polish-born Zionist leader and first Prime Minister of Israel
December 2, 1973 (Sunday)
- Born: Monica SelesMonica SelesMonica Seles is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player and a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She was born in Novi Sad, Serbia, former Yugoslavia to Hungarian parents. She became a naturalized United States citizen in 1994 and also received Hungarian citizenship in June 2007...
, tennis player, in Novi Sad, Serbia (then Yugoslavia)
December 3, 1973 (Monday)
- Pioneer programPioneer programThe Pioneer program is a series of United States unmanned space missions that was designed for planetary exploration. There were a number of such missions in the program, but the most notable were Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11, which explored the outer planets and left the solar system...
: Pioneer 10Pioneer 10Pioneer 10 is a 258-kilogram robotic space probe that completed the first interplanetary mission to Jupiter, and became the first spacecraft to achieve escape velocity from the Solar System. The project was managed by the NASA Ames Research Center and the contract for the construction of the...
sends back the first close-up images of JupiterJupiterJupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
.
December 4, 1973 (Tuesday)
- John De Camp HouseJohn De Camp HouseThe John De Camp House, is located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. The house was built in 1739 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 1973....
, Cockroach KeyCockroach KeyCockroach Key is a historic site near Ruskin, Florida, United States. It is located south of the Little Manatee River, roughly three miles west of Sun City. On December 4, 1973, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-External links:* at * at...
and Hiram Ramsdell HouseHiram Ramsdell HouseThe Hiram Ramsdell House, also known as the Octagon House, is an historic octagonal house located at High and Perham streets in Farmington, Maine. Built in 1868, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 1973....
are among properties added to the US National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - Died: Michael O'SheaMichael O'Shea (actor)Michael O'Shea , was an American character actor whose career spanned from the 1940s-1960s. O'Shea was born in Hartford, Connecticut...
, 67, American film and television actor and husband of Virginia MayoVirginia MayoVirginia Mayo was an American film actress.After a short career in vaudeville, Mayo progressed to films and during the 1940s established herself as a supporting player in such films as The Best Years of Our Lives and White Heat .Mayo remained an A-list actress into the mid-'50s, but then went...
December 6, 1973 (Thursday)
- The United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
votes 387–35 to confirm Gerald FordGerald FordGerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
as Vice President of the United States; he is sworn in the same day.
December 9, 1973 (Sunday)
- The Sunningdale AgreementSunningdale AgreementThe Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
is signed in SunningdaleSunningdaleSunningdale is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.-Location:Sunningdale is located close to the present border with Surrey, and is not far from Ascot, Sunninghill and Virginia Water. It is situated 24 miles west of London and 7...
, BerkshireBerkshireBerkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
by Prime Minister Edward HeathEdward HeathSir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, Irish premier Liam CosgraveLiam CosgraveLiam Cosgrave is an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach and as Leader of Fine Gael . He was a Teachta Dála from 1943 to 1981....
, and representatives of the Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
, the Social Democratic and Labour PartySocial Democratic and Labour PartyThe Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
and the Alliance Party of Northern IrelandAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
.
December 10, 1973 (Monday)
- A partial lunar eclipseDecember 1973 lunar eclipseA partial lunar eclipse took place on December 10, 1973....
takes place.
December 11, 1973 (Tuesday)
- The Treaty of PragueTreaty of Prague (1973)The Treaty of Prague was a treaty signed on 11 December 1973, in Prague, by the Federal Republic of Germany and Czechoslovakia, in which the two States recognized each other diplomatically and declared the 1938 Munich Agreements to be null and void - by acknowledging the inviolability of their...
is signed by the Federal Republic of GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
(FRG) and CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, in which the two States recognize each other diplomatically and declare the 1938 Munich AgreementMunich AgreementThe Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
s to be null and void, acknowledging the inviolability of their common borders and abandoning all territorial claims.
December 15, 1973 (Saturday)
- Gay rights: The American Psychiatric AssociationAmerican Psychiatric AssociationThe American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
removes homosexualityHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
from its DSM-II.
December 16, 1973 (Sunday)
- O. J. SimpsonO. J. SimpsonOrenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
of the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
became the first running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a pro footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
season.
December 17, 1973 (Monday)
- Born: Paula RadcliffePaula RadcliffePaula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
, English athlete, in Davenham, Cheshire
December 18, 1973 (Tuesday)
- Islamic Development BankIslamic Development BankThe Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference , convened 23 Dhu'l Qa'dah 1393 AH.The bank officially began its activities on...
created as a specialized agency of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) (effective 12 August 1974).
December 19, 1973 (Wednesday)
- The Oriental Monarch, a Liberian-registered cargo ship, founders 150 nautical miles (277.8 km) off Victoria, British ColumbiaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, with the loss of all 40 crew.
December 20, 1973 (Thursday)
- Spanish prime minister Luis Carrero Blanco is assassinated in MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
by the terrorist organization ETAETAETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
. - Died: Bobby DarinBobby DarinBobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
, 37, American singer
December 21, 1973 (Friday)
- The Geneva ConferenceGeneva Conference (1973)The Geneva Conference of 1973 was an attempt to negotiate a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict as envisioned in United Nations Security Council Resolution 338 following the called-for cease-fire to end the Yom Kippur War...
opens under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General, in an attempt to negotiate a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. - Died: James Stirratt Topping KennedyJames Stirratt Topping KennedyJames Stirratt Topping Kennedy GC was a Scottish security guard for British Rail Engineering Limited in Glasgow who was posthumously awarded the George Cross when he was killed by armed robbers who he was trying to stop stealing BREL's payroll."In the early hours of the 21 December 1973, six...
, GC, 42, security guard for British Rail Engineering Limited, killed while trying to prevent a payroll robbery
December 23, 1973 (Sunday)
- OPECOPECOPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
doubles the price of crude oil. - The Aero Boero 260AGAero Boero 260AG-References:...
makes its first flight.
December 24, 1973 (Monday)
- Mohammad Mohammadullah becomes Acting President of Bangladesh.
- An annular solar eclipseSolar eclipse of December 24, 1973An annular solar eclipse occurred on December 24, 1973. -References:...
occurs. - Born: Stephenie MeyerStephenie MeyerStephenie Meyer is an American author known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained worldwide recognition and sold over 100 million copies globally, with translations into 37 different languages...
, American novelist known for the Twilight series, in Hartford, Connecticut
December 25, 1973 (Tuesday)
- The US bulk carrier Elwood Mead runs aground on her maiden voyageMaiden voyageThe maiden voyage of a ship, aircraft or other craft is the first journey made by the craft after shakedown. A number of traditions and superstitions are associated with it....
, off GuernseyGuernseyGuernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
in the Channel IslandsChannel IslandsThe Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. She remains aground for 61 days until refloated on 24 February 1974. - Died: İsmet İnönüIsmet InönüMustafa İsmet İnönü was a Turkish Army General, Prime Minister and the second President of Turkey. In 1938, the Republican People's Party gave him the title of "Milli Şef" .-Family and early life:...
, 89, Turkish Army General, former Prime Minister and President of Turkey; Gabriel VoisinGabriel VoisinGabriel Voisin was an aviation pioneer and the creator of Europe's first manned, engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft capable of a sustained , circular, controlled flight, including take-off and landing. It was flown by Henry Farman on January 13, 1908 near Paris, France...
, 93, French aviation pioneer
December 28, 1973 (Friday)
- The Endangered Species ActEndangered Species ActThe Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
is passed in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
December 30, 1973 (Sunday)
- Terrorist Carlos fails in his attempt to assassinate British businessman Joseph Sieff.
December 31, 1973 (Monday)
- Legislative electionsIsraeli legislative election, 1973The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. Voter turnout was 78.6%.-Results:1 Aryeh Eliav left the Alignment and merged with Ratz to form Ya'ad - Civil Rights Movement...
take place in Israel, returning Golda MeirGolda MeirGolda Meir ; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was a teacher, kibbutznik and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel....
's Alignment partyAlignment (political party)The Alignment was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s. It was established in 1965 as an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda but was dissolved three years later when the two parties and Rafi formally merged into the Israeli Labor Party...
to power. - In the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as a result of coal shortages caused by industrial action, the Three-Day WeekThree-Day WeekThe Three-Day Week was one of several measures introduced in the United Kingdom by the Conservative Government 1970–1974 to conserve electricity, the production of which was severely limited due to industrial action by coal miners...
electricity consumption reduction measure comes into force. - AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
perform their first major gig in Sydney, Australia.