Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1773 – In Boston Harbor, a group of Massachusetts colonists dump 342 chests of tea into the harbor in what would come to be known as the Boston Tea Party (More info)

1920 – The Haiyuan earthquake, magnitude 8.5, rocks the Gansu province in China and kills an estimated 200,000 (More info)

1944 – The Battle of the Bulge begins with the surprise offensive of three German armies through the Ardennes forest (More info)

1985 – In New York City, Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are shot dead on the orders of John Gotti, who assumes leadership of the Gambino crime family (More info)

2000 – Colin Powell is selected to become the first black Secretary of State (More info)

It's also Stupid Toy Day

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day...think we'll leave this one alone!

And it's "Dragnet" Day. The popular NBC-TV police show debuted on this date in 1951 and lasted eight seasons. It returned in 1967 for four more seasons.

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