Winston Churchill was awarded the Nobel prize in Literature.
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Martin Luther publicly burned the papal edict, demanding that he recant.
The first edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica was published.
King Berger of Sweden celebrated Christmas with his brothers before throwing them in his dungeons to die.
The First Nobel Peace Prizes were awarded to the Red Cross founder Jean Henri Dunant and peace activist Frederic Passy.
Mississippi was admitted to the Union, making it the 20th American state.