Anodyne

Today is the Sixteenth of December. On this day in 1773, some 50-60 Sons of Liberty, dressed as Indians, dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor in defiance of the Tea Act of 1773 (which gave monopoly power to the British East India Tea Co. in the colonies). This monopoly power amounted to taxation without representation (because East India could then charge whatever it wanted, without fear of being undercut by the Dutch).

In 1811, the ground beneath New Madrid, Missouri began to shake. Tremors continued on and off until at least February of 1812, the most severe coming on February 7, later estimated to have been greater than an 8.0 on the Richter scale. It was felt as far away as Boston, possibly even Maine. Among other startling results of this event, the Mississippi River flowed backwards for a while.

In 1916, Gregory Rasputin was killed.

In 1917, Arthur C. Clarke was born.