Events, Births and Deaths Happening on this Date

1792

The French National Convention voted to abolish the monarchy.

1897

The New York Sun ran its famous editorial that answered a question from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon: ''Is there a Santa Claus?''

1931

Britain went off the gold standard.

1937

''The Hobbit,'' by J.R.R. Tolkien, was first published.

1938

A hurricane struck parts of New York and New England, causing widespread damage and claiming more than 600 lives.

1948

Milton Berle made his debut as permanent host of ''The Texaco Star Theater'' on NBC.

1949

The People's Republic of China was proclaimed by its Communist leaders.

1964

Malta gained independence from Britain.

1970

''NFL Monday Night Football'' debuted on ABC.

1973

The Senate confirmed Henry Kissinger to be Secretary of State.

1977

President Carter's embattled budget director, Bert Lance, resigned after weeks of controversy over past business and banking practices.

1982

National Football League players began a 57-day strike, their first regular-season walkout.

1983

In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Interior Secretary James G. Watt jokingly described a special advisory panel as consisting of ''a black ... a woman, two Jews and a cripple.'' Although Watt later apologized, he ended up resigning.

1989

Hurricane Hugo, packing winds of up to 135 mph, crashed into Charleston, S.C.

1996

John F. Kennedy Jr. married Carolyn Bessette in a secret ceremony on Cumberland Island, Ga.

1996

The board of all-male Virginia Military Institute voted to admit women.

1998

President Clinton's videotaped grand jury testimony was publicly broadcast; in it, Clinton tussled with prosecutors over ''the truth of my relationship'' with Monica Lewinsky.

1998

Olympic gold medal track star Florence Griffith Joyner was found dead at her home in Mission Viejo, Calif.; she was 38.

1999

A powerful earthquake struck Taiwan, killing at least 2,400 people.