December 27

Today in History
• 1512 - Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the conduct of settlers
• 1657 - "Flushing Remonstrance" petition signed, protesting the ban on Quaker worship
• 1825 - 1st public railroad using steam locomotive completed in England
• 1836 - Worst English avalanche kills 8 of 15 buried (Lewes Sussex)
• 1845 - Ether 1st used in childbirth in U.S., Jefferson, Ga
• 1850 - Hawaiian Fire Department established
• 1915 - US Iron and Steel workers begin a 3-week strike in Ohio for a eight-hour-day
• 1934 - Shah of Persia Mohammad Reza Pahlavi declares Persia now Iran


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Anniversary of Benazir Bhutto's Death
• International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
• Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
• National Abigail Day
• National Fruitcake Day
• National Samuel Day
• St John History
• Visit the Zoo Day

Birthdays
• 1571 - Johann Kepler, born in Wurttemberg, Germany, astronomer, elliptical orbits
• 1709 - Pieter de Swart, Dutch architect (Royal Palace, Hague)
• 1755 - Antons Klemens Theodor, king of Saksen (1827-36)
• 1801 - Guillaume L Baud, Dutch minister of Colonies (1848-49)
• 1822 - Louis Pasteur, French bacteriologist (invented pasteurization)
• 1823 - Mackenzie Bowell, 5th Prime Minister of Canada (1894-96)
• 1883 - Cyrus Eaton, Canadian-American financier, industrialist and steel magnate
• 1892 - Alfred Edwin McKay, Canadian Royal Flying Corps WWI flying ace