clipped from: www.nytimes.com   
On This Day in History
Sunday, December 07th
The 342nd day of 2008.
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NYT Front Page
On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese warplanes attacked the home base of the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, drawing the United States into World War II. More than 2,300 Americans were killed. (Go to article.)

On Dec. 7, 1873, Willa Cather, the American novelist famous for her descriptions of life on the American frontier, was born. Following her death on April 24, 1947, her obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. | Other Birthdays)

On December  7, 1872, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about President Ulysses S. Grant and civil service reform. (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)
1787
Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

1796
Electors chose John Adams to be the second president of the United States.

1836
Martin Van Buren was elected the eighth president of the United States.
1842
The New York Philharmonic gave its first concert.

1963