Here are some major historical events that happened on December 13:

1642: Abel Tasman becomes the first European to reach the island of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania).

1937: The Nanjing Massacre begins during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Japanese forces captured the city of Nanjing, leading to mass killings, rapes, and other atrocities against Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers.

2000: The Supreme Court of the United States, in its decision in Bush v. Gore, effectively ends the recount of the presidential votes in Florida, determining the outcome of the 2000 presidential election in favor of George W. Bush.

2001: The Parliament of India is attacked by terrorists. Twelve people are killed, and many are injured in the incident.

2003: Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his hometown of Tikrit by the United States Army.

These events highlight a range of historical occurrences, spanning from explorations and discoveries to significant moments in wars and political history.