Today in History: Royal Wedding, RFK

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 20, the 324th day of 2007. There are 41 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 20, 1947, Britain's future queen, Princess Elizabeth, married Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey. On this date: In 1789, New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights. In 1910, revolution broke out in Mexico, led by Francisco I. Madero. In 1925, Robert F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Mass. [What if? —Ed.] In 1929, the radio program "The Rise of the Goldbergs" debuted on the NBC Blue Network. In 1943, during World War II, U.S. Marines began landing on Tarawa and Makin atolls in the Gilbert Islands, encountering fierce resistance from Japanese forces but emerging victorious three days later. In 1945, 24 Nazi leaders went on trial before an international war crimes tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany. In 1959, the United Nations issued its "Declaration of the Rights of the Child." In 1967, the census clock at the Commerce Department ticked past 200 million. [191 yrs. to hit 200 million, another 100 million in 40 yrs. — Ed.] In 1975, after nearly four decades of absolute rule, Spain's Gen. Francisco Franco died, two weeks before his 83rd birthday. [And not a day too soon. — Ed.] In 1992, fire seriously damaged Windsor Castle, the favorite weekend home of Queen Elizabeth II. [Ironic, on her 55th wedding anniv. — Ed.] Ten years ago: Prodded by Russia, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein agreed to allow U.S. arms monitors back into his country, ending a three-week crisis that had raised fears of a military confrontation with the United States. Five years ago: On the eve of a NATO summit in the Czech Republic, President Bush, recalling Europe's grim history of "excusing aggression," challenged skeptical allies to stand firm against Saddam Hussein. A German doctor conducted Britain's first public autopsy in more than 170 years, an event denounced by the British Medical Association's Head of Ethics as "degrading and disrespectful." One year ago: After a firestorm of criticism, News Corp. said it had canceled the O.J. Simpson book and TV special "If I Did It," in which Simpson was to speak hypothetically about how he would have committed the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife and her friend. (The book was later brought out by a different publisher.) Six imams were removed from a US Airways flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after passengers reported they were acting suspiciously. Four students died in a school bus crash in Huntsville, Ala. Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies was voted the National League's MVP. Movie director Robert Altman died in Los Angeles at age 81. Today's Birthdays: Actress Evelyn Keyes is 91. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., is 90. Economist Beryl Sprinkel is 84. Actress-comedian Kaye Ballard is 82. Actress Estelle Parsons is 80. TV personality Richard Dawson is 75. Comedian Dick Smothers is 69. Singer Norman Greenbaum is 65. ["Spirit in the Sky" — Ed.] Senator Joseph Biden, D-Del., is 65. Actress Veronica Hamel is 64. Broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff is 61. Singer Joe Walsh is 60. Actor Richard Masur is 59. Actress Bo Derek is 51. Reggae musician Jim Brown (UB40) is 50. Actress Sean Young is 48. Pianist Jim Brickman is 46. Rock musician Todd Nance (Widespread Panic) is 45. Actress Ming-Na is 44. Rapper Mike D (The Beastie Boys) is 42. Rapper Sen Dog (Cypress Hill) is 42. [Coincidence? — Ed.]