December 7 in History

• 1787

  December 7, 1787:

  The United States Constitution is first ratified by the state of Delaware.

• 1941

  December 7, 1941:

  Adolf Hitler’s secret order for “people endangering German security” to be arrested and executed, referred to as the Night and Fog Decree, is issued.

• December 7, 1941:

  Japan surprisingly bombs the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbour on Oahu, Hawaii.

• 1972

  December 7, 1972:

  The final Apollo flight to the moon is commanded by astronaut Eugene Andrew Cernan.

• 1975

  December 7, 1975:

  Indonesian forces invade and occupy East Timor following the latter’s declaration of independence.

• 1982

  December 7, 1982:

  Charles Brooks Jr. becomes the first person to be executed by lethal injection.

• 1989

  December 7, 1989:

  Roberto Durán loses his chance to claim the WBC super-middleweight title in his third and final match against Sugar Ray Leonard.

• 2001

  December 7, 2001:

  The star-studded American heist comedy film, “Oceans 11” is shown in theatres in the United States.

• 2004

  December 7, 2004:

  Hamid Karzai is sworn in as Afghanistan’s first President elected by popular vote.

• 2017

  December 7, 2017:

  Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo wins his fifth Ballon d’Or.