On this day in 1773, nearly 350 chests of tea were dumped into
Boston Harbor off of British ships by Colonial patriots. The
patriots were disguised as Indians. The act was to protest
taxation without representation and the monopoly the
government granted to the East India Company.
During World War II, the Battle of the Bulge began in Belgium on
this day in 1944. It was the final major German counteroffensive
in the war.
Ludwig van Beethoven (December 16, 1770 – March 26, 1827)
Beethoven bridged the gap between Classical and Romantic music with
his symphonies, concertos, and sonatas despite losing his hearing. His
most famous compositions included "Für Elise," the "Moonlight Sonata,"
and the Ninth Symphony.