Discover what happened on December 2 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

December 2

Discover what happened on December 2 with HISTORY&#8217;s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

What Happened on December 2 | History.com

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Spies

America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian - the U.S. president - would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

World War I pitted Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. New military technology resulted in unprecedented carnage. By the time the war was over and the Allied Powers claimed victory, more than 16 million people—soldiers and civilians alike—were dead.

World War I

The 21st century saw the dawn of the war on terrorism, as the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing dramatically changed society. Economic issues also moved to the forefront during the Great Recession as awareness of social inequality grew.

21st Century

The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.

US Government

Crime

Film

The abolitionist movement was the social and political effort to end slavery everywhere. Fueled in part by religious fervor, the movement was led by people like Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and John Brown.

Abolitionist Movement

Crime has been a dark and powerful undercurrent in human society throughout history. Uncover the facts behind some of the most daring robberies, brazen scams and brutal murders ever committed.&nbsp;

France, a large European nation with a diverse population, has a rich and fascinating history, including figures such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, and epic events like the French Revolution.

France

The Red Scare, a period of anti-Communist fervor in the United States, featured controversial groups like the Hollywood 10, the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) and Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

Red Scare

American Revolution

Kennedy Family

The Revolutionary War waged by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas and revolutions around the globe, as a small fledgling nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.

Art history tells the complex story of human civilization through art and design. It ranges from prehistoric art of the Neolithic period through Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionism, Modernism, the Bauhaus and contemporary art.

Art, Literature, and Film History

<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> team. Articles with the “<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> Editors” byline have been written or edited by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen.

History.com Editors

<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history">World War II</a> was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945.

World War II

Cold War

The Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted for decades and resulted in anti-communist suspicions and international incidents that led the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster.

This Day In History: December 2

Enron files for bankruptcy

Also on This Day in History December | 2

Environmental Protection Agency opens

The Temptations earn their final #1 hit with “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”

Napoleon crowned emperor

Abolitionist John Brown is hanged

Monroe Doctrine declared

Joseph McCarthy condemned by Senate

Physicist Enrico Fermi produces the first nuclear chain reaction

“Good Will Hunting” premieres in theaters

William Kennedy Smith’s rape trial begins

Fidel Castro declares himself a Marxist‑Leninist

Philadelphia nurse overhears British plans to attack Washington’s army

Russia reaches armistice with the Central Powers

Also on This Day in History December | 2

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