Today in History

Today is Saturday, Nov. 11, the 315th day of 2017. There are 50 days left in the year. This is Veterans Day in the U.S., Remembrance Day in Canada.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 11, 1918, fighting in World War I ended as the Allies and Germany signed an armistice in the Forest of Compiegne (kohm-PYEHN'-yeh).

On this date:

In 1620, 41 Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, anchored off Massachusetts, signed a compact calling for a "body politick."

In 1778, British redcoats, Tory rangers and Seneca Indians in central New York killed more than 40 people in the Cherry Valley Massacre.

In 1831, former slave Nat Turner, who'd led a violent insurrection, was executed in Jerusalem, Virginia.

In 1889, Washington became the 42nd state.

In 1917, Liliuokalani (lee-LEE'-oo-oh-kah-LAH'-nee), Hawaii's first and only queen and its last monarch, died in Honolulu at age 79.

In 1921, the remains of an unidentified American service member were interred in a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in a ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding.

In 1938, Irish-born cook Mary Mallon, who'd gained notoriety as the disease-carrying "Typhoid Mary" blamed for the deaths of three people, died on North Brother Island in New York's East River at age 69 after 23 years of mandatory quarantine.

In 1942, during World War II, Germany completed its occupation of France.

In 1966, Gemini 12 blasted off on a four-day mission with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. aboard; it was the tenth and final flight of NASA's Gemini program.

In 1972, the U.S. Army turned over its base at Long Binh to the South Vietnamese, symbolizing the end of direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War.

In 1987, following the failure of two Supreme Court nominations, President Ronald Reagan announced his choice of Judge Anthony M. Kennedy, who went on to win confirmation.

In 1992, the Church of England voted to ordain women as priests.

Ten years ago: President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan would stick to its January schedule for parliamentary elections, but set no time limit on emergency rule. Marking his fifth Veterans Day since the invasion of Iraq, President George W. Bush honoured U.S. troops past and present at a tearful ceremony in Texas.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery and said the Sept. 11 generation had "written one of the greatest chapters" in the country's military service, toppling a dictator and battling an insurgency in Iraq, pushing back the Taliban in Afghanistan and decimating al-Qaida's leadership.

One year ago: President-elect Donald Trump shook up his transition team as he plunged into the work of setting up his administration, elevating Vice-President-elect Mike Pence to head the operations. Three days after Election Day, President Barack Obama used his last Veterans Day speech to urge Americans to learn from the example of veterans as a divided nation sought to "forge unity" after the bitter 2016 campaign. Actor Robert Vaughn, 83, died in Connecticut.

Today's Birthdays: Actress June Whitfield (TV and film: "Absolutely Fabulous") is 92. Actress Bibi Andersson is 82. Country singer Narvel Felts is 79. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., is 77. Americana roots singer/songwriter Chris Smither is 73. Rock singer-musician Vince Martell (Vanilla Fudge) is 72. The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, is 72. Rock singer Jim Peterik (PEE'-ter-ihk) (Ides of March, Survivor) is 67. Golfer Fuzzy Zoeller is 66. Pop singer-musician Paul Cowsill (The Cowsills) is 66. Rock singer-musician Andy Partridge (XTC) is 64. Singer Marshall Crenshaw is 64. Rock singer Dave Alvin is 62. Rock musician Ian Craig Marsh (Human League; Heaven 17) is 61. Actor Stanley Tucci is 57. Actress Demi Moore is 55. Actress Calista Flockhart is 53. Actor Philip McKeon is 53. Rock musician Scott Mercado is 53. Actor Frank John Hughes is 50. TV personality Carson Kressley is 48. Actor David DeLuise is 46. Actor Adam Beach is 45. Actor Tyler Christopher is 45. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is 43. Actor Scoot McNairy is 40. Rock musician Jonathan Pretus (Cowboy Mouth) is 36. NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez is 31. Actress Christa B. Allen is 26. Actor Tye Sheridan is 21. Actor Ian Patrick is 15.

Thought for Today: "Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it. If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing information." — Kurt Vonnegut, American author (born this date in 1922, died 2007).

News from © The Associated Press, 2017