1861day.year
American Civil War: The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War is established by Congress.
In December 1861, the U.S. Congress formed the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War to oversee and investigate Union military operations during the American Civil War.
Facing setbacks in the early months of the Civil War, Congress established the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War on December 9, 1861.
Composed of senators and representatives, the committee was tasked with examining military strategy, logistics, and leadership.
It held hearings reviewing Union failures and interrogated key generals, influencing public opinion and war policies.
The committee’s oversight sometimes led to tensions with military commanders, notably General McClellan.
Its investigations shaped the administration’s approach to prosecution of the war and civil-military relations.
The committee operated until 1865, leaving a legacy of legislative oversight in wartime.
1861
American Civil War
Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War
Congress
1872day.year
In Louisiana, P. B. S. Pinchback becomes the first African American governor of a U.S. state following the impeachment of Henry C. Warmoth.
P. B. S. Pinchback became the first African American governor of a U.S. state (Louisiana) on December 9, 1872, following the impeachment of Henry C. Warmoth.
Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback assumed the governorship after the impeachment of Governor Warmoth over allegations of corruption.
He served as acting governor from December 9, 1872, to January 13, 1873, leading the state’s executive branch during Reconstruction.
A member of the Republican Party, Pinchback had previously served in the Louisiana state senate and as lieutenant governor.
His brief tenure saw him navigate intense racial and political tensions in post-Civil War Louisiana.
Although his governorship was short, it represented a groundbreaking achievement in African American political leadership.
Pinchback’s legacy endures as a milestone in the struggle for civil rights and representation.
1872
Louisiana
P. B. S. Pinchback
African American
Henry C. Warmoth
1905day.year
In France, a law separating church and state is passed.
The French Parliament passed the Law on the Separation of the Churches and the State on December 9, 1905, establishing the principle of laïcité.
After decades of church-state tensions, the 1905 law formally ended government funding for religious groups.
It affirmed freedom of conscience and guaranteed the free exercise of worship within certain limits.
The law declared that the Republic neither recognizes, nor salaries, nor subsidizes any religion.
It led to the secularization of religious properties and the reorganization of worship associations.
Laïcité became a defining element of French national identity and public life.
The legislation continues to influence debates on religious expression and secularism worldwide.
1905
law separating church and state
1922day.year
Gabriel Narutowicz is elected the first president of Poland.
On December 9, 1922, Gabriel Narutowicz became Poland’s first democratically elected president following the restoration of Polish independence.
After decades of partitions, Poland regained its sovereignty in 1918 but struggled to stabilize its government. On December 9, 1922, Gabriel Narutowicz, a respected engineer and diplomat, won the presidency in a tightly contested vote. His election marked the birth of Poland’s Second Republic and symbolized hope for a lasting democracy. Despite facing fierce opposition from nationalist factions, Narutowicz sought to unite diverse political and social groups. Tragically, his presidency lasted only five days before his assassination, underscoring the turbulent challenges of Poland’s early independence.
1922
Gabriel Narutowicz
1931day.year
The Constituent Cortes approves a constitution which establishes the Second Spanish Republic.
The Spanish Constituent Cortes ratified a new constitution on December 9, 1931, officially founding the Second Spanish Republic.
In the aftermath of King Alfonso XIII’s departure, Spain convened a Constituent Cortes to draft a republican constitution. On December 9, 1931, this assembly approved a progressive charter championing civil liberties, secular governance, and regional autonomy. The new constitution sought to modernize Spain, expanding women’s rights and limiting the influence of the Catholic Church. It reshaped Spanish politics and society, fueling both hope and fierce opposition. The Second Republic would endure until 1939, navigating deep political divides and setting the stage for the Spanish Civil War.
1931
Constituent Cortes
constitution
Second Spanish Republic
1946day.year
The subsequent Nuremberg trials begin with the Doctors' Trial, prosecuting physicians and officers alleged to be involved in Nazi human experimentation and mass murder under the guise of euthanasia.
December 9, 1946 saw the start of the Doctors’ Trial in Nuremberg, prosecuting medical war crimes committed by Nazis.
After World War II, Allied powers convened the Nuremberg Military Tribunals to bring Nazi war criminals to justice. On December 9, 1946, the first of the subsequent trials began: the Doctors’ Trial. Twenty-three physicians and medical officers faced charges for conducting lethal human experiments and orchestrating mass murder under Nazi euthanasia policies. The proceedings revealed horrific details of abuses at concentration camps and hospitals. Verdicts delivered in August 1947 led to multiple convictions and set precedents in medical ethics, ultimately inspiring the Nuremberg Code.
1946
subsequent Nuremberg trials
Doctors' Trial
Nazi human experimentation
mass murder under the guise of euthanasia
1946day.year
The Constituent Assembly of India meets for the first time to write the Constitution of India.
On December 9, 1946, India’s Constituent Assembly convened for the first time to draft the nation’s constitution.
With British colonial rule nearing its end, India’s Constituent Assembly gathered in New Delhi to shape the legal framework of an independent republic. On December 9, 1946, 299 members—including leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and B.R. Ambedkar—took their oaths and began deliberations. The assembly tackled complex issues of federalism, fundamental rights, and social justice. Over nearly three years of debate, and with multiple committees at work, they produced one of the world’s lengthiest written constitutions. The document came into effect on January 26, 1950, laying the foundation for democratic governance in modern India.
Constituent Assembly of India
Constitution of India
1948day.year
The Genocide Convention is adopted.
In the aftermath of World War II, the UN General Assembly adopts the Genocide Convention, defining genocide as an international crime.
In the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust, the UN drafts a treaty to address mass atrocities.
On December 9, 1948, the Genocide Convention is adopted by UN member states in Paris.
It defines genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy national, ethnic, racial, or religious groups.
Signatories agree to prevent and punish genocide through national and international legal measures.
The Convention opens for signature on December 11, 1948, and comes into force in 1951.
It becomes a cornerstone of international human rights law and informs later tribunals and prosecutions.
1948
Genocide Convention
1950day.year
Cold War: Harry Gold is sentenced to 30 years in jail for helping Klaus Fuchs pass information about the Manhattan Project to the Soviet Union. His testimony is later instrumental in the prosecution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
Chemist Harry Gold is sentenced to 30 years in prison for passing Manhattan Project secrets to the Soviet Union, later aiding the Rosenberg prosecution.
During the early Cold War, American chemist Harry Gold is arrested for espionage.
He pleads guilty to transmitting top-secret information about the Manhattan Project to Soviet agents.
On December 9, 1950, Gold is sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the espionage ring.
His detailed testimony later becomes key evidence in the trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
The Rosenbergs are convicted and executed for conspiracy to commit espionage in 1953.
Gold's case highlights the intense fear of Soviet infiltration in the United States during the Red Scare.
1950
Cold War
Harry Gold
Klaus Fuchs
Manhattan Project
Soviet Union
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
1961day.year
Tanganyika becomes independent from Britain.
Tanganyika gains independence from British colonial rule, becoming a sovereign nation led by Julius Nyerere.
Formerly a British trust territory after World War I, Tanganyika embarks on a path to self-rule.
Led by Julius Nyerere and the Tanganyika African National Union, the independence movement gains momentum.
On December 9, 1961, Tanganyika officially becomes independent within the Commonwealth.
Nyerere serves as the nation's first Prime Minister and implements policies of African socialism.
The peaceful transition is celebrated with ceremonies in the capital, Dar es Salaam.
In 1964, Tanganyika merges with Zanzibar to form the Republic of Tanzania.
1961
Tanganyika
1969day.year
U.S. Secretary of State William P. Rogers proposes his plan for a ceasefire in the War of Attrition; Egypt and Jordan accept it over the objections of the PLO, which leads to civil war in Jordan in September 1970.
US Secretary of State William P. Rogers proposes a ceasefire to end the War of Attrition; Egypt and Jordan accept it, but PLO objections set the stage for future conflict.
In the wake of the 1967 Six-Day War, hostilities along the Suez Canal continue into the War of Attrition.
On December 9, 1969, Secretary of State William P. Rogers presents a US-backed ceasefire proposal.
Egypt and Jordan agree to the plan, seeking to halt Israeli-Egyptian skirmishes.
The Palestine Liberation Organization rejects the agreement, citing exclusion from negotiations.
PLO opposition contributes to rising tensions in Jordan, leading to civil strife in 1970 known as Black September.
The Rogers Plan illustrates Cold War diplomacy and the complexities of Arab-Israeli relations.
1969
William P. Rogers
his plan
War of Attrition
PLO
civil war in Jordan
1973day.year
British and Irish authorities sign the Sunningdale Agreement in an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland.
The Sunningdale Agreement was signed to create a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland and foster cooperation with Ireland.
On December 9, 1973, representatives from Britain and Ireland signed the Sunningdale Agreement.
The accord sought to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive with both unionist and nationalist voices.
It also proposed a Council of Ireland to promote cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
This was the first major attempt to address the Troubles through joint administration.
Supporters viewed it as a foundation for lasting peace and political stability.
Loyalist opposition and political tensions later challenged its implementation.
Though it collapsed in 1974, Sunningdale influenced future peace efforts, leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
1973
Sunningdale Agreement
Northern Ireland Executive
Council of Ireland