Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1796, The United States takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty. 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 1914, Babe Ruth makes his debut in Major League Baseball. In 1921, Former president of the United States William Howard Taft is sworn in as 10th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the only person ever to hold both offices. In 1924, Oscar Wyatt, American businessman was born. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1971, The nationalization of all large copper mines in Chile is completed. In 1979, America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. In 2004, Laurance Rockefeller, American financier and philanthropist (born 1910) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.