In History, Today on December 1

King Henry I of England died, leading to a succession crisis known as The Anarchy.

Portugal regained its independence from Spain after 60 years of Iberian Union, with the accession of King John IV.

The Dominican Republic declared independence from Spain.

Pedro I was crowned Emperor of Brazil, marking the establishment of the Empire of Brazil.

The Ford Motor Company introduced the first moving assembly line, revolutionizing industrial manufacturing.

Iceland became a sovereign state under the Danish crown with the signing of the Act of Union.

Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

The Antarctic Treaty was signed, establishing Antarctica as a scientific preserve and banning military activity on the continent.

The first draft lottery in the United States since World War II was held, as part of the conscription process for the Vietnam War.

Benazir Bhutto was sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to head the government of a Muslim-majority country.

The Channel Tunnel workers from the United Kingdom and France met 40 meters beneath the English Channel, marking a significant milestone in the tunnel's construction.

Enron Corporation, once one of the largest energy companies in the world, filed for bankruptcy, marking one of the largest corporate scandals in U.S. history.

Felipe Calderón was inaugurated as President of Mexico. His presidency was marked by a significant escalation in the Mexican Drug War, as he deployed federal troops to combat drug cartels.

The Treaty of Lisbon, which amended the two treaties that form the constitutional basis of the European Union, came into force.

The G20 summit in Buenos Aires concluded with a joint declaration on trade and climate change, highlighting global cooperation amid rising tensions.

The first known case of COVID-19 was traced back to this date in Wuhan, China, marking the beginning of the global pandemic.

The United Kingdom became the first country to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, marking a significant step in the global fight against the pandemic.