Today's Highlight in History:
On December eighth, 1941, the United States entered World War Two as Congress declared war against Japan, a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

On this date:
In 1776, George Washington's retreating army in the American Revolution crossed the Delaware River德拉瓦河 from New Jersey¹ to Pennsylvania.

In 1854, Pope Pius the Ninth proclaimed the dogma教条，教理 of the Immaculate Conception无原罪成胎说.

In 1863, President Lincoln announced his plan for the Reconstruction² of the South.

In 1886, the American Federation³ of Labor美国劳工联合会 was founded in Columbus, Ohio.

In 1914, "Watch Your Step," the first musical revue讽刺时事的滑稽剧 to feature a score composed entirely⁵ by Irving Berlin, opened in New York.

In 1949, the Chinese Nationalist government moved from the Chinese mainland to Formosa台湾 as the Communists pressed their attacks.

In 1978, former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir died in Jerusalem at age 80.

In 1980, rock star John Lennon was shot to death outside his New York City apartment building by an apparently⁶ deranged⁷精神错乱的 fan.

In 1987, President Reagan and Soviet⁸ leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev signed a treaty calling for destruction of intermediate中间的，中级的-range nuclear missiles.

In 1993, President Clinton signed into US law the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Ten years ago: Communist leaders in Czechoslovakia捷克斯洛伐克 offered to surrender their control over the government and accept a minority role in a coalition⁹ Cabinet.

Five years ago: Bosnian Serbs released dozens of hostage peacekeepers, but continued to detain about 300 others. In Los Angeles, 12 alternate jurors were chosen for the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

One year ago: Struggling to stave off避开，延缓 impeachment弹劾，控告, President Clinton's defenders¹¹ forcefully pleaded his case before the House Judiciary Committee. The Supreme¹³ Court ruled that police cannot search people and their cars after merely ticketing them for routine traffic violations¹⁴. San Francisco and several suburbs郊区 suffered a power blackout; it was more than seven hours before electricity was fully¹² restored.