Today in History....November 20

On this day in …

1789, New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights

1888, William Bundy patents timecard clock

1910, revolution broke out in Mexico, led by Francisco I. Madero

1914, the State Department starts requiring photographs for passports

1929, the radio program "The Rise of the Goldbergs" debuted on the NBC Blue Network

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

1945, a series of trials of accused Nazi war criminals, ym"sh, conducted by a U.S., French, and Soviet military tribunal based in Nuremberg, Germany, began. Twenty-four former Nazi officials were tried, and when it was all over, one year later, half would be sentenced to death by hanging

1947, "Meet the Press" makes network TV debut on NBC

1959, the United Nations issued its "Declaration of the Rights of the Child

1962, President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 11063, which mandates an end to discrimination in housing. The order, which came during the burgeoning Civil Rights movement, prohibited federally funded housing agencies from denying housing or funding for housing to anyone based on their race, color, creed or national origin

1967, the Census Clock at the Commerce Department ticked past 200 million

1975, after nearly four decades of absolute rule, Spain's General Francisco Franco died, two weeks before his 83rd birthday

2005, Israel's dovish Labor Party voted to pull out of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government in the opening salvo of an election campaign