December 4

1563 – The Council of Trent ended.

The council was a Catholic response to Protestantism, and did much to heal the emotional wounds of the 30 Years War...It 'only' took 18-years to complete.

This is not my strong-suit, so here’s a link: "The Ecumenical Council of Trent has proved to be of the greatest importance for the development of the inner life of the Church. No council has ever had to accomplish its task under more serious difficulties, and none has had so many questions of such great importance to decide."

771 - Charlemagne became sole ruler of the Frankish Empire, after the death of his brother Carolman.

Charlemagne was a brilliant ruler and defender of Christendom against the Muslim Horde…One of the few bright spots in the European Dark Ages.

1259 - The Treaty of Paris: Between England and France.

This was a huge treaty in which England renounced claims to most of its former lands in France (particularly Normandy and Maine). England did keep Gascony and parts of Aquitaine, but not as sovereign lands under control of the English crown...At the time it wasn't apparent, but this was a good thing for England, as the descendants of the Norman Conquest became more British, and less Continental.

1875 - William Marcy Tweed, the 'Boss' of New York City's Tammany Hall political organization, escaped from jail and fled the country. He went to Cuba and then Spain where he was identified from cartoons by Thomas Nast and returned to prison.

Tweed was one of the most powerful and corrupt political bosses in American history.

Lets play a game: I'll give you one choice to guess which party he was from...You got it, the good ol’ Demon-cat Party!!

1941 - The Navy Department ordered Guam to destroy all codes and secret documents:  WWII.

This was three days before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and many other American outposts in the Pacific - including Guam...Coincidental? NOT!!

1942 - President Roosevelt ordered the dismantling of the Works Progress Administration, which had been created to provide jobs during the Depression.

The WPA was widely criticized at the time, but FDR must be given credit for ending it...The most rare of all occurrences in the U.S. Government: Ending a useless program.

1945 - The Senate approved U.S. participation in the United Nations.

I just can't do this one...Ugh!

1959 - The Communist Chinese pardoned Pu Yi, ex-emperor of China and of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo. Aisingyoro Henry Puyi, the last emperor, Xuantong, was declared rehabilitated and released as 'citizen' Puyi. He settled down as a gardener and wrote the book 'From Emperor to Citizen.'

It's unbelievably surprising the Communists didn’t execute young Pu, but they must have felt it was unnecessary and would cause more public opposition than it was worth...The Soviets would never have had such concerns.

2000 - In Florida, Judge Sauls denied Al Gore’s request for a recount. The U.S. Supreme Court set aside the decision by the Florida Supreme Court to extend the vote counting deadline and sent the case back to the Florida court.

I'm surprised Gore isn’t still screaming for a recount...LOSER!