Today in History

Today is Thursday, Nov. 30, the 334th day of 2017. There are 31 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens -- better known as Mark Twain -- was born in Florida, Missouri.

On this date:

In 1016, Edmund II, King of the English, died after a reign of seven months.

In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in Sept. 1783.

In 1803, Spain completed the process of ceding Louisiana to France, which had sold it to the United States.

In 1874, British statesman Sir Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace.

In 1900, Irish writer Oscar Wilde died in Paris at age 46.

In 1939, the Winter War began as Soviet troops invaded Finland. (The conflict ended the following March with a Soviet victory.)

In 1954, Ann Elizabeth Hodges of Oak Grove, Alabama, was slightly injured when an 8-1/2-pound chunk of meteor crashed through the roof of her house, hit a radio cabinet, then struck her as she lay napping on a couch.

In 1966, the former British colony of Barbados became independent.

In 1977, Bing Crosby's final Christmas TV special, "Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas," aired on CBS.

In 1982, the Michael Jackson album "Thriller" was released by Epic Records. The motion picture "Gandhi," starring Ben Kingsley as the Indian nationalist leader, had its world premiere in New Delhi.

In 1987, American author James Baldwin died in Saint Paul de Vence, France, at age 63.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, which required a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers.

Ten years ago: A man took hostages at a Hillary Clinton campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire; he surrendered about five hours later. An Atlasjet plane crashed in southwest Turkey, killing all 57 people on board. An Amtrak train and a freight train collided on a track on the South Side of Chicago, injuring dozens of people. Motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel died in Clearwater, Florida, at age 69.

Five years ago: Israel approved the construction of 3,000 homes in Jewish settlements on occupied lands, drawing swift condemnation from the Palestinians a day after their successful bid for recognition by the United Nations. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Egypt, denouncing President Mohammed Morsi and a draft constitution that was approved earlier in the day by his Islamist allies.

One year ago: Air conditioning company Carrier Corp. said it had reached a deal with President-elect Donald Trump to keep nearly 1,100 jobs in Indiana instead of moving them to Mexico; however, some 600 other jobs were still eliminated by outsourcing. House Democrats re-elected Nancy Pelosi as their leader. A prosecutor cleared a Charlotte, North Carolina, police officer in the killing of a black man whose death touched off civil unrest, saying the officer was justified in opening fire on Keith Scott.

Today's Birthdays: G. Gordon Liddy is 87. Country singer-recording executive Jimmy Bowen is 80. Movie director Ridley Scott is 80. Movie writer-director Terrence Malick is 74. Rock musician Roger Glover (Deep Purple) is 72. Playwright David Mamet is 70. Actor Mandy Patinkin is 65. Musician Shuggie Otis is 64. Country singer Jeannie Kendall is 63. Singer Billy Idol is 62. Historian Michael Beschloss is 62. Rock musician John Ashton (The Psychedelic Furs) is 60. Comedian Colin Mochrie is 60. Former football and baseball player Bo Jackson is 55. Rapper Jalil (Whodini) is 54. Actor-director Ben Stiller is 52. Rock musician Mike Stone is 48. Actress Sandra Oh is 47. Music producer Steve Aoki is 40. Singer Clay Aiken is 39. Actor Billy Lush is 36. Actress Elisha Cuthbert is 35. Actress Kaley Cuoco is 32. Model Chrissy Teigen is 32. Actress Christel Khalil is 30. Actress Rebecca Rittenhouse is 29. Actress Adelaide Clemens is 28.

Thought for Today: "Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." -- Mark Twain (1835-1910).