Compass
The War of 1812 was over. On December 12, 1814, the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent ending the war. Unfortunately, American forces under the command of General Andrew Jackson and British forces encamped near New Orleans were unaware of that fact. The two armies had faced each other off south of New Orleans since mid-December and news traveled slowly.
The cathedral in Pisa has a free-standing bell tower on which construction began August 9, 1173 and took 117 years to complete. The development of the Tower started in 1173. Initially intended to be a bell tower, it stood upright for more than 5 years, yet when the third floor was finished in 1178 it started to lean.
The U.S. State Department is warning citizens on their travels to China to be a bit more cautious. According to the agency, there has been some subjective implementation of local laws along with special restrictions placed on dual U.S.-Chinese citizens.
Last year, World Footprints published stories about people and places all over the world. Our writers told stories that helped our readers make deeper connections to a community, understand more about a foreign place while traveling more mindfully.
Tourism is a major economic activity for Sri Lanka that has exponentially grown since 1970. With annual visits by the travel community in 2017 reaching 2,116,407, tourism is among the major earners for the country.
In the Netherlands, cycling is somewhat of a national obsession, and Amsterdam lies deep in the cycling whirlwind. Amsterdam is referred to as the bicycle capital of the world and as of next year, it will make its mark as one of the most cycling-friendly cities. From spring of 2019, mopeds and scooters will be banned from all the bike lanes.
Although the Times Square Ball made it’s debut on the roof of One Times Square in New York on December 31, 1906 to ring in 1907, Dick Clark began a new holiday tradition to televise the international event and surrounding celebrations as his first New Year’s Rockin’ Eve broadcast rang in 1973.
One of India’s most iconic and exquisite attractions the Taj Mahal has for years drawn increasing numbers of tourists. Over the years, millions of tourists have traveled to Agra, India to soak up the beauty of the 17th- century mausoleum, now more than ever because of the greater accessibility to domestic travel.
Just after midnight on Christmas morning, Allied and German troops engaged in World War I put down their weapons to sing Christmas carols. Soldiers exchanged presents of cigarettes, plum puddings, and even played friendly games of soccer. The so-called "Christmas Truce of 1914" was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare.
In the past four decades of its existence, Hello Kitty has grown in popularity emerging as a global marketing phenomenon that ranks close to $7bn a year.
On this day in 2014, President Obama signed a proclamation regarding Wright Brothers Day in which he wrote in part: ...On December 17, 1903, two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, would write their own chapter in America’s long history of discovery and achievement.
On this day in history, December 6, 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place. Patriot leader Samuel Adams organized the "tea party" with about 60 members of the Sons of Liberty, his underground resistance group.
