1620: Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [OS: Dec 11] [some sources disagree, and OS/NS adds to confusion, could be +/- several days]

1898: Scientists Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium

1968: First manned Moon voyage launched with Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders aboard Apollo 8

1988: A terrorist bomb destroys Pan Am Flight 103 mid-air over Scotland, killing all 259 passengers and crew on board and 11 people on the ground

1991: Soviet Union formally dissolves as 11 of 12 republics sign treaty forming the Commonwealth of Independent States

Source: Onthisday.com