December fourth

Today's Highlight in History:
On December fourth, 1783, General George Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York.

On this date:
In 1816, James Monroe of Virginia was elected the fifth president of the United States.

In 1839, the Whig Party opened a national convention in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during which delegates nominated William Henry Harrison for president.

In 1918, President Wilson set sail for France to attend the Versailles Peace Conference.

In 1942, President Roosevelt ordered the dismantling of the Works Progress Administration, which had been created to provide jobs during the Depression.

In 1942, US bombers struck the Italian mainland for the first time in World War Two.