On This Day for December 6 - Irish Free State established, William S. Hart is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, [click here to view](. December 06 [William S. Hart in The Gun Fighter, 1916–17.]( FEATURED BIOGRAPHY 1870 William S. Hart Born this day in 1870, [William S. Hart]( was an American stage and silent-film actor who was the leading hero of the early [westerns]( starring in films such as Hell's Hinges (1916) and Wild Bill Hickok (1923). [SEE ALL BORN ON THIS DAY]( [Ireland]( FEATURED EVENT 1921 Irish Free State established The British government and Irish leaders [Arthur Griffith]( [Michael Collins]( and others signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty, establishing the [Irish Free State]( as an independent member of the British [Commonwealth]( this day in 1921. [SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY]( Advertisement Advertisement MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2002: American peace activist and former [Roman Catholic]( priest [Philip Berrigan]( saw combat duty during [World War II]( but later, after having been ordained a priest in 1955, became one of the 20th century's most militant [pacifists]( at age 79. 1969: Violence at the [Altamont rock festival]( in Livermore, California, climaxed during the [Rolling Stones]( appearance when a concertgoer was fatally stabbed by a member of the [Hells Angels]( motorcycle gang, which had been hired as security. 1898: Photographer [Alfred Eisenstaedt]( images, many of them for [Life]( magazine, established him as one of the first and most important photojournalists—was born in Dirschau, West Prussia (now Tczew, Poland). 1865: [Georgia]( became the 27th U.S. state to ratify the [Thirteenth Amendment]( which abolished [slavery](. 1992: The Babri Masjid (“Mosque of Bābur”) in [Ayodhya]( was destroyed by Hindu fundamentalists, leading to Hindu-Muslim riots throughout India. 1973: [Gerald R. Ford]( was sworn in as [vice president of the United States]( succeeding [Spiro T. Agnew]( who had resigned. [SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY]( ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1879 Joseph Stalin premier of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 1967 Judd Apatow American writer, director, and producer 1421 Henry VI king of England 1920 Dave Brubeck American musician 1900 Agnes Moorehead American actress 1941 Richard Speck American murderer [SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY]( Advertisement FOLLOW: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, [click here](. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2018 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( • [Help](