Today in History

Today is Monday, Dec. 1, the 335th day of 2014. There are 30 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Dec. 1, 1974, TWA Flight 514, a Washington-bound Boeing 727, crashed in Virginia after being diverted from National Airport to Dulles International Airport; all 92 people on board were killed. Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231, a Boeing 727, crashed near Stony Point, New York, with the loss of its three crew members (the plane had been chartered to pick up the Baltimore Colts football team in Buffalo, New York).

On this date:

In 1824, the presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives when a deadlock developed between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. (Adams ended up the winner.)

In 1860, the Charles Dickens novel "Great Expectations" was first published in weekly serial form.

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln sent his Second Annual Message to Congress, in which he called for the abolition of slavery, and went on to say, "Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this Administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves."

In 1921, the Navy flew the first nonrigid dirigible to use helium; the C-7 traveled from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to Washington, D.C.

In 1934, Soviet communist official Sergei M. Kirov, an associate of Josef Stalin, was assassinated in Leningrad, resulting in a massive purge.

In 1941, Japan's Emperor Hirohito approved waging war against the United States, Britain and the Netherlands after his government rejected U.S. demands contained in the Hull Note.

In 1942, nationwide gasoline rationing went into effect in the United States.

In 1944, Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Serge Koussevitzky.

In 1955, Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus; the incident sparked a year-long boycott of the buses by blacks.

In 1969, the U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II.

In 1973, David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, died in Tel Aviv at age 87.

In 1989, Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev met with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

Ten years ago: Tom Brokaw signed off for the last time as principal anchor of the "NBC Nightly News"; he was succeeded by Brian Williams. Texas Gov. Rick Perry blocked the execution of Frances Newton two hours before she was to be lethally injected for the deaths of her husband and two young children so her lawyers could conduct new tests on evidence in the 17-year-old murder case. (Newton was executed in September 2005.)

Five years ago: President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 more U.S. troops into the war in Afghanistan but promised during a speech to cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to begin withdrawal in 18 months. General Motors Co. CEO Frederick "Fritz" Henderson stepped down after the board determined that the company hadn't been changing quickly enough.

One year ago: A New York City commuter train rounding a riverside curve derailed, killing four people and injuring more than 70 (federal regulators later said a sleep-deprived engineer had nodded off at the controls just before taking the 30 mph curve at 82 mph, causing the derailment). Edward J. "Babe" Heffron, 90, whose World War II service as a member of Easy Company was recounted in the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers," died in Stratford, New Jersey.

Today's Birthdays: Former CIA director Stansfield Turner is 91. Singer Billy Paul is 79. Actor-director Woody Allen is 79. World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino is 75. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 75. Country musician Casey Van Beek (The Tractors) is 72. Television producer David Salzman is 71. Rock singer-musician Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult) is 70. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 70. Actress-singer Bette Midler is 69. Singer Gilbert O'Sullivan is 68. Former child actor Keith Thibodeaux (TV: "I Love Lucy") is 64. Actor Treat Williams is 63. Country singer Kim Richey is 58. Actress Charlene Tilton is 56. Actress-model Carol Alt is 54. Actor Jeremy Northam is 53. Actress Katherine LaNasa is 48. Producer-director Andrew Adamson is 48. Actor Nestor Carbonell is 47. Actress Golden Brooks is 44. Actress-comedian Sarah Silverman is 44. Actor Ron Melendez is 42. Contemporary Christian singer Bart Millard is 42. Actor-writer-producer David Hornsby is 39. Singer Sarah Masen is 39. Rock musician Brad Delson (Linkin Park) is 37. Actor Nate Torrence is 37. Rock/Christian music singer-songwriter Mat Kearney is 36. Rock musician Mika Fineo (Filter) is 33. R&B singer Janelle Monae is 29. Actress Ashley Monique Clark is 26. Pop singer Nico Sereba (Nico & Vinz) is 24. Actor Jackson Nicoll is 11.

Thought for Today: "The only people who attain power are those who crave it." -- Erich Kastner, German author and poet (1899-1974).

(Copyright 2014, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.