In History, Today on December 6

The Mongol Empire, under the leadership of Batu Khan, captured and sacked the city of Kiev, marking a significant event in the Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'.

Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Hispaniola, which he names La Española, marking the first European contact with the island.

The city of Quito, Ecuador, was founded by Spanish settlers led by Sebastián de Belalcázar.

The first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica was published in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery in the United States.

The first edition of The Washington Post was published.

The Halifax Explosion occurred in Nova Scotia, Canada, when a French cargo ship loaded with explosives collided with a Norwegian vessel, resulting in a massive explosion that killed approximately 2,000 people and injured thousands more.

The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, ending the Irish War of Independence and establishing the Irish Free State as a self-governing dominion within the British Empire.

The Irish Free State was established as a self-governing dominion of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

A violent riot broke out in Hong Kong between pro-Communist and pro-Nationalist factions, known as the 1956 Hong Kong riots.

Adrian Kantrowitz performed the first human heart transplant in the United States.

Pakistan severed diplomatic relations with India following the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Spain ratifies a new constitution, transitioning from dictatorship to democracy.

The École Polytechnique massacre occurs in Montreal, Canada, where 14 women are killed by a gunman in an anti-feminist attack.

The Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India, was demolished by Hindu nationalists, leading to widespread communal riots across the country.

NASA reveals photographs taken by the Mars Global Surveyor suggesting the presence of liquid water on Mars.

Venezuelan opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable wins a majority in the National Assembly elections, marking a significant political shift.

U.S. President Donald Trump officially recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, announcing plans to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

A shooting occurs at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, resulting in the deaths of three people and the gunman, with eight others injured.