TODAY IN HISTORY

Thursday, December  15, 2011 AP Highlight in History:  On Dec. 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, took effect following ratification by Virginia.
On this date in: 1890 Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe members were killed in Grand River, S.D., during a clash with Indian police. 1916 The French defeated the Germans in the World War I Battle of Verdun. 1938 Ground was broken for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. 1939 The movie "Gone With the Wind" had its world premiere in Atlanta. AP Photo 1944 Bandleader Glenn Miller's U.S. Army plane disappeared over the English Channel. 1961 Former Nazi official Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death by an Israeli court. 1966 Movie producer Walt Disney died at age 65. 1989 A popular uprising that led to the downfall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu began in Romania. 2003 The late Sen. Strom Thurmond's family acknowledged Essie Mae Washington-Williams' claim that she was Thurmond's illegitimate mixed-race daughter. 2004 American telecommunications giants Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. announced they would merge in a $35 billion deal. 2005 Millions of Iraqis turned out to choose a parliament in a mostly peaceful election. 2009 The Washington, D.C. City Council voted to legalize same-sex marriage. 2010 The U.N. Security Council gave a unanimous vote of confidence to the government of Iraq by lifting 19-year-old sanctions on weapons and civilian nuclear power.		Video Highlights of This Day in History Today's Birthdays: Actor Don Johnson ("Miami Vice") turns 62 years old today. AP Photo/Matt Sayles Name Profession Age Tim Conway Comedian ("The Carol Burnett Show") 78 Cindy Birdsong Singer (The Supremes) 72 Nick Buoniconti Football Hall of Famer 71 Dave Clark Rock musician, producer (The Dave Clark Five) 69 Julie Taymor Director 59 Mark Warner U.S. senator, D-Va. 57 Helen Slater Actress 48 Actor Adam Brody ("The O.C.") turns 32 years old today. AP Photo/Peter Kramer