The Day America Handed Back the Panama Canal
On December 31, 1999, the United States transferred the Panama Canal to Panama, ending nearly a century of American control of the great waterway.
On December 31
The Night Times Square Dropped Its First Ball
On December 31, 1907, a 700-pound ball of iron and wood slid down a Times Square flagpole at midnight — and a global New Year's ritual was born.
The 9,000-Year Lease Behind Every Pint of Guinness
On December 31, 1759, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on a derelict Dublin brewery at £45 a year — the boldest bet in beer history.