Historical eventDecember 11959

Antarctic Treaty System

Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War, banning military activity in the Antarctic and setting the continent aside as a scientific preserve.

Everything on December 1Original source

In context

When
Tuesday, December 1 195967 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1950s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1959.

What happened

Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War, banning military activity in the Antarctic and setting the continent aside as a scientific preserve.

December 1 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1959Antarctic Treaty System
  2. 2001United Russia
  3. 2005Perm Oblast
  4. 2006Same-sex marriage in South Africa
  5. 2009Treaty of Lisbon
  6. 2011Almaty Metro
  7. 2018Oulu child sexual exploitation scandal
  8. 2019Arsenal Women 11–1 Bristol City Women
  9. 2019Vivianne Miedema
  10. 2019COVID-19 pandemic
  11. 2020Arecibo Telescope

Also in 1959

  • September 13Luna 2The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 (model pictured) struck the Moon, the first spacecraft to reach another celestial body.
  • September 15Nikita KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev becomes the first Soviet leader to visit the United States.
  • June 14Disneyland MonorailDisneyland Monorail System, the first daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere, opens to the public in Anaheim, California.
  • August 17Miles DavisAmerican musician Miles Davis released Kind of Blue, which became one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed jazz recordings o…
  • November 21Disc jockeyAmerican disc jockey Alan Freed (pictured), who popularized the term rock and roll, was fired from WABC-AM for his role in the payola sca…
  • November 16The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music, a musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein based on The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, opened on Broadway at the Lunt-F…
  • November 16National Airlines Flight 967National Airlines Flight 967 explodes in mid-air over the Gulf of Mexico, killing all 42 aboard.
  • March 181959 Tibetan uprisingTibetan uprising: After the 14th Dalai Lama sought refuge at Sera Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet, Chinese forces bombarded the monastery, infl…

Everything we record for 1959 →

Sources

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“Antarctic Treaty System”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/antarctic-treaty-system-1959-december-1, accessed October 24, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did Antarctic Treaty System happen?

December 1 1959 — 67 years ago, on a Tuesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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