Today's Highlight in History:
On December seventh, 1941, Japanese forces attacked American and British territories and possessions in the Pacific, including the home base of the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

On this date:
In 1787, Delaware特拉华州 became the first state to ratify批准 the US Constitution.

In 1796, electors chose John Adams to be the second president of the United States.

In 1836, Martin Van Buren was elected the eighth president of the United States.

In 1842, the New York Philharmonic纽约爱乐乐团 gave its first concert.

In 1946, fire broke out at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta; the blaze killed 119 people, including hotel founder² W. Frank Winecoff.

In 1972, America's last moon mission to date was launched as "Apollo 17" blasted off from Cape³ Canaveral.

In 1982, convicted murderer Charlie Brooks⁴ Junior became the first US prisoner to be executed by injection注射, at a prison in Huntsville, Texas.

In 1985, retired⁵ Supreme⁶ Court Justice Potter Stewart died in Hanover, New Hampshire, at age 70.

In 1987, Soviet⁷ leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev set foot on踏上 American soil for the first time, arriving for a Washington summit with President Reagan.

In 1988, a major earthquake in the Soviet Union devastated⁸ northern Armenia; official estimates put the death toll⁹ at 25,000.

Ten years ago: East Germany's Communist Party agreed to cooperate with the opposition¹⁰ in paving the way for free elections and a revised constitution.

Five years ago: PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, meeting with US Secretary of State Warren Christopher in Gaza City, pledged to protect Israelis from militant¹¹ extremists.

One year ago: On the eve of historic hearings听证会, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde said there was a "compelling强制的，激发兴趣的 case" for impeaching¹²控告，检举 President Clinton. Attorney General Janet Reno declined to seek an independent counsel investigation¹³ of President Clinton over 1996 campaign financing.