Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1767, John Quincy Adams, American lawyer and politician, 6th President of the United States (died 1848) was born. In 1804, A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1882, The British Mediterranean Fleet begins the Bombardment of Alexandria in Egypt as part of the Anglo-Egyptian War. In 1914, The US Navy launches the USS Nevada (BB-36) as its first standard-type battleship. In 1943, World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1962, Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth. In 1977, Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2006, Mumbai train bombings: 209 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.