What Happened on December 16?

December 16 is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day — a playful dipping holiday — on the same date colonists staged the Boston Tea Party in 1773, the Battle of the Bulge began in 1944, and Bangladesh won independence in 1971.

• 1773 — Colonists dump tea into Boston Harbor in the Boston Tea Party

  On December 16, 1773, protesters boarded ships in Boston Harbor and dumped British tea — a flashpoint toward the American Revolution. Read the full story →

• 1835 — The Great Fire of New York destroys much of lower Manhattan

  On December 16, 1835, a huge fire swept New York City's business district — reshaping the growing metropolis. Read the full story →

• 1907 — The Great White Fleet departs on a around-the-world cruise

  On December 16, 1907, sixteen U.S. battleships painted white steamed from Hampton Roads — Theodore Roosevelt's show of naval power. Read the full story →

• 1944 — Germany launches the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes

  On December 16, 1944, Nazi Germany attacked through the Ardennes — starting the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler's last major Western offensive. Read the full story →

• 1947 — A Streetcar Named Desire opens on Broadway

  On December 16, 1947, Tennessee Williams's play A Streetcar Named Desire premiered — soon winning the Pulitzer Prize. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Jane Austen (1775–1817) · Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) · Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) · Philip K. Dick (1928–1982)

Days & observances

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day · National Underdog Day · Victory Day (Bangladesh) · National Pumpkin Pie Day