Birthdays
Isaac Erwin Avery
Turns 32 on this date
George Alexander Coffey
Turns 40 on this date
Rodolphus Holland Duell
Turns 36 on this date
Edgar Everett Hastings
Turns 14 on this date
Laura Smith Haviland
Turns 52 on this date
Samuel Jordan Kirkwood
Turns 47 on this date
Richard Lucian Page
Turns 53 on this date
Amy Kirby Post
Turns 58 on this date
John Winfield Wallace
Turns 42 on this date
Events
| Crime/Disasters | Railroad snowplow clearing tracks derails in Upstate New York injuring several workers | 12/20/1860 |
| Lawmaking/Litigating | South Carolina secedes from the Union and declares itself "an independent commonweath" | 12/20/1860 |
| Lawmaking/Litigating | The second session of the 36th Congress is sitting in Washington, DC |
12/04/1860 to 03/02/1861 |
Documents
| Newspaper | Fayetteville (NC) Observer, “A Remarkable Statement,” December 20, 1860 | 12/20/1860 |
| Newspaper | New York Times, “A Sensible Proceeding,” December 20, 1860 | 12/20/1860 |
| Newspaper | New York Times,“A Visit to Mr. Lincoln,” December 20, 1860 | 12/20/1860 |