Dec. 16. 1968: Spain revokes order expelling Jews from country, imposed by Queen Isabella in 1492. (Seized assets from the expulsion helped finance Christopher Columbus' explorations.) 1991: Canadian Indian Affairs Minister announces "final" agreement with the Inuit of eastern Arctic, creating a new native-run Territory of Nunavut. When details are worked out three years later, it develops that natives will only control land deemed not to be of commercial or military value to the Canadian government.

Dec. 17. 1966: Against U.S. wishes, U.N. General Assembly approves an international treaty banning nuclear weapons in space.

Dec. 18. 1963: African students protest against racial discrimination. Moscow, U.S.S.R. 1992: Two activists arrested in Des Moines, Iowa, for disrupting city council meeting to demand a civilian review board for charges of police racism and brutality.

Dec. 19. 1842: U.S. recognizes independent nation of Hawai'i. 55 years later, the U.S. would unilaterally annex it. 1984: 27 miners killed in accident during speedup at an Orangeville, Utah mine. 1994: Zapatista rebels in Southeastern Mexico slip through army seige and briefly occupy 38 towns in Chiapas state, costing Wall Street investors millions as Mexican bond market tumbles.

Dec. 20. 1989: U.S. invades Panama. Thousands of Panamanians die, leader and former CIA asset Manuel Noriega captured and jailed in U.S. Drug running and corruption continue but with U.S. investor-friendly government. U.S. media bleats. 1994: Hundreds of thousands link hands in Chechnya in human chain to protest Russian invasion.

Dec. 21. 1861: Schooner Potter arrives at Neah Bay, Wash., bringing annuity goods for the Makah--hoes, sickles, pitchforks, and Mexican spurs--much to the amazement of the fishing and whaling Makan, who converted them to fish hooks, knives, and arrowheads. 1962: American interests pay Cuba $53 million worth of medicine and supplies to free 1,113 prisoners held since Bay of Pigs invasion.

Dec. 22. 1830: State of Georgia makes it unlawful for Cherokee to meet in council, unless it is for the purpose of giving land to whites. 1919: U.S. deports 250 alien "radicals." 1974: Hopi and Navajo Relocation Act passed by Congress to get those inconvenient Indians at Big Mountain, Arizona, away from lucrative coal deposits. Big Mountain families have been resisting this forced racial relocation ever since.