On This Day

What Happened on November 30 in History

8 events that happened on November 30, oldest first. Every entry is written in our own words and links to its source.

Colonial America and the Revolution

1782
American and British negotiators sign preliminary articles of peace in Paris.
The provisional articles recognized the independence of the United States and set the terms that ended the Revolutionary War. They took effect only after Britain reached its own settlement with France, and the final Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783.
Source: history.state.gov; archives.gov

1864
The Confederate Army of Tennessee suffers a devastating defeat at the Battle of Franklin.
General John Bell Hood ordered a frontal assault on strong Union positions around Franklin, Tennessee. The attack cost Hood six of his generals and nearly a third of his force.
Source: history.com; battlefields.org

1939
The Soviet Union invades Finland, beginning the Winter War.
Red Army troops crossed the border and Soviet planes bombed Helsinki. Despite the huge force sent against them, the Finns mounted a stubborn resistance that made headlines around the world.
Source: history.com

1950
President Harry S. Truman says use of the atomic bomb in Korea has always been under consideration.
Asked at a press conference whether the weapons he might use in Korea included the atomic bomb, Truman said they included every weapon the country had. The remark came as Chinese troops were pushing back United Nations forces and caused alarm abroad.
Source: history.com; trumanlibrary.gov
1954
A meteorite crashes through a roof in Sylacauga, Alabama, and strikes a woman.
Elizabeth Hodges was resting on her couch when the rock, weighing about 8.5 pounds, bounced off a radio and hit her hip, leaving a bad bruise. It was the first modern record of a meteorite injuring a person.
Source: history.com
1967
Southern Yemen gains independence from Britain as the People's Republic of Southern Yemen.
The new state grew out of the former British colony of Aden and its surrounding territories. It changed its name in 1970 and merged with North Yemen in 1990.
Source: history.state.gov

1993
President Bill Clinton signs the Brady handgun bill into law.
The law was named for James Brady, the White House press secretary wounded in the 1981 attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life. It set a temporary waiting period for handgun purchases and led to the national instant background check system.
Source: history.com; atf.gov
1999
Mass protests disrupt the opening of the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled downtown streets, keeping delegates from the meeting and forcing officials to cancel the opening ceremonies. Police used tear gas and pepper spray, and the mayor declared a state of emergency and a curfew.
Source: depts.washington.edu; seattle.gov