On this date in history…

(2016) British singer, songwriter, and actor David Bowie—who transformed himself from a traditional pop crooner into a trendsetting international superstar best known for his metamorphic personae (on- and offstage), abrupt shifts in musical genres, and status as a fashion icon—died in New York City. (1999) The first episode of The Sopranos aired on HBO, and the dramatic series, which starred James Gandolfini and Edie Falco, was later widely hailed as a classic. (1984) The United States and the Vatican established diplomatic relations after a 117-year break. (1971) Masterpiece Theatre (later called Masterpiece) debuted on PBS; the first series aired was The First Churchills. (1949) American boxer George Foreman, who became the oldest world heavyweight champion in 1994, was born in Marshall, Texas. (1946) Radar signals bouncing off the Moon were detected for the first time. (1946) The first United Nations General Assembly met in London. (1920) The League of Nations was established in Geneva. (1861) Florida seceded from the Union and in February 1861 joined the Confederacy. (1776) On this day in 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense, a 50-page pamphlet that sold more than 500,000 copies within a few months and called for a war of independence that would become the American Revolution.