December 27Charles Darwin1831 HMSBeagle departed Plymouth, England, on a voyage to South America that established Charles Darwin (pictured) as a naturalist.1939 A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central Turkey, destroying 90per cent of the buildings in the area, and causing over 32,000 deaths.1979 SovietAfghan War: Soviet troops stormed Tajbeg Palace outside Kabul and killed Afghan president Hafizullah Amin and his 100150 elite guards.2007 Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated while leaving a Pakistan People's Party political rally at Liaqat National Bagh in Rawalpindi.Prince Rupert of the Rhine (b.1619)Agda Meyerson (d.1924)Chyna (b.1969)Amy Vanderbilt (d.1974)More anniversaries: December 26December 27December 28ArchiveBy emailList of days of the yearAbout