28 years ago today
President Clinton Impeached by the House
On December 19, 1998, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Bill Clinton on two articles — perjury before a grand jury and obstruction of justice — related to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was only the second president in American history to be impeached, after Andrew Johnson in 1868. The Senate subsequently acquitted him on both articles in February 1999, and Clinton remained in office to complete his second term. The impeachment dominated a year of American political life and reshaped the debates over presidential accountability and partisan politics.
This day, across time
- 1154EventHenry II Crowned at Westminster
- 1741DiedVitus Bering
- 1776EventThomas Paine Publishes "The American Crisis"
- 1777EventWashington's Army Reaches Valley Forge
- 1783EventWilliam Pitt Becomes Youngest British Prime Minister
- 1848DiedEmily Brontë
- 1851DiedJ. M. W. Turner
- 1906BornLeonid Brezhnev
- 1915BornÉdith Piaf
- 1924BornCicely Tyson
- 1932EventBBC World Service Begins Broadcasting
- 1972EventApollo 17 Returns to Earth
- 1974BornRicky Ponting
- 1980BornJake Gyllenhaal
- 1984EventSino-British Joint Declaration Signed
- 1996DiedMarcello Mastroianni
- 1998FeaturedPresident Clinton Impeached by the House
- 2016EventRussian Ambassador Assassinated in Ankara
Alive in 1998
OverlapSame years; not influence
Kofi Annanturned 60 this year
Margaret Thatcherturned 73 this year
Nelson Mandelaturned 80 this year
Ronald Reaganturned 87 this year
Steve Jobsturned 43 this year
Wangari Maathaiturned 58 this year
Step into the moment
Simulation · scenario
A Christmas Carol Goes on Sale
London, England
Charles John Huffam Dickens, December 19, 1843. A simulation set on this date. The figure doesn’t know how the day ends.
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Step into the sceneOn This Day in History
9 EventsHenry II Crowned at Westminster
Henry II is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, beginning the Plantagenet dynasty. His long reign saw major legal reforms and the famous quarrel with Archbishop Thomas Becket.
Thomas Paine Publishes "The American Crisis"
Thomas Paine publishes the first pamphlet of The American Crisis, opening with the famous line "These are the times that try men's souls." Washington had it read aloud to his demoralized troops at Valley Forge.
Washington's Army Reaches Valley Forge
General George Washington leads the Continental Army into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The brutal six-month encampment — marked by cold, hunger, and disease — would test the army's endurance and ultimately forge a stronger fighting force.
William Pitt Becomes Youngest British Prime Minister
William Pitt the Younger, at age 24, becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain — the youngest ever. He would serve a total of 18 years and oversee Britain during the French Revolutionary and early Napoleonic Wars.
BBC World Service Begins Broadcasting
The BBC Empire Service — later renamed the BBC World Service — begins broadcasting globally, providing international radio news in English. It remains one of the world's most trusted news sources, now reaching over 400 million people weekly.
Apollo 17 Returns to Earth
Apollo 17 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, completing the final crewed lunar landing mission of the 20th century. Astronauts Gene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, and Ron Evans returned with 110 kilograms of lunar samples. Cernan remains the last human to walk on the Moon.
Sino-British Joint Declaration Signed
The United Kingdom and China sign the Sino-British Joint Declaration, agreeing that Britain will hand over Hong Kong to China in 1997 under the "one country, two systems" framework, preserving Hong Kong's legal and economic system for 50 years.
Clinton Impeached by the House
The House of Representatives votes to impeach President Bill Clinton on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, making him only the second U.S. president ever impeached. The Senate later acquitted him.
Russian Ambassador Assassinated in Ankara
Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov is shot and killed by an off-duty Turkish police officer at an art gallery in Ankara, Turkey. The assassination shocked the world and briefly strained Russian-Turkish relations.
Born on This Day
Édith Piaf
French Singer
The iconic "Little Sparrow" of French music whose emotionally raw voice and songs — including "La Vie en rose" and "Non, je ne regrette rien" — defined a generation. Despite a life marked by tragedy and poverty, she became the most beloved French singer of the 20th century.
Leonid Brezhnev
General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party (r. 1964–1982)
The Soviet leader who oversaw an era of superpower détente while simultaneously crushing the Prague Spring and asserting the "Brezhnev Doctrine" of Soviet intervention in socialist states. His later years saw economic stagnation and the disastrous invasion of Afghanistan.
Jake Gyllenhaal
American Actor
Known for his transformative performances in Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, Zodiac, and Nightcrawler, Gyllenhaal is regarded as one of the most versatile actors of his generation.
Cicely Tyson
American Actress & Activist
A pioneering African American actress whose career spanned seven decades, earning her an Academy Honorary Award, three Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. Known for refusing to play degrading roles, she built a legacy of dignity and excellence on stage and screen.
Ricky Ponting
Australian Cricketer
One of cricket's greatest batsmen and captains, who led Australia to consecutive World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007 and is second on the all-time Test run-scoring list. Widely regarded as one of the best players of the modern era.
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Emily Brontë
English Novelist & Poet
Author of Wuthering Heights (1847), one of the greatest and most unconventional novels in the English language. She died of tuberculosis at age 30, leaving behind a single novel and a body of poetry that were only fully appreciated long after her death.
J. M. W. Turner
English Painter
The Romantic painter whose luminous landscapes and seascapes pushed the boundaries of painting toward pure light and atmosphere. Works like The Fighting Temeraire and Rain, Steam and Speed anticipated Impressionism by decades and made him the most celebrated British artist of his era.
Vitus Bering
Danish-Russian Explorer
The Danish navigator who led the Great Northern Expedition for Russia, exploring the coastline of Siberia and Alaska and sailing through the strait that now bears his name. He died on the return voyage, shipwrecked on a remote island.
Marcello Mastroianni
Italian Actor
The defining face of Italian cinema, famous for his collaborations with Federico Fellini in La Dolce Vita and 8½. His effortless sophistication and melancholy made him one of the most celebrated actors of postwar Europe.
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