Today in History — July 12
1862
12 July 1862: Medal of Honor Created
On July 12, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating the Medal of Honor, establishing what would become the United States military highest and most prestigious personal military decoration. Originally created for enlisted men of…
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1804
11 July 1804: Hamilton-Burr Duel at Weehawken
On July 11, 1804, one of the most dramatic personal confrontations in American political history took place on the heights of Weehawken, New Jersey. There, Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary Alexander…
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10 July 1962: Telstar Satellite Launched
On July 10, 1962, Telstar 1 was launched from Cape Canaveral, becoming the worlds first active communications satellite and ushering in a new era of global telecommunications. This remarkable technological achievement, a collaboration between American…
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- 11 July 1804: Hamilton-Burr Duel at WeehawkenJul 11
- 10 July 1962: Telstar Satellite LaunchedJul 10
- 09 July 1868: Fourteenth Amendment RatifiedJul 9
- 08 July 1497: Vasco da Gama Sets Sail for IndiaJul 8
- 07 July 2005: London Bombings Strike the CityJul 7
- 06 July 1942: Anne Frank and Family Go Into HidingJul 6
- 05 July 1687: Newton Publishes the Principia MathematicaJul 5
- 04 July 1776: Declaration of Independence AdoptedJul 4
- 03 July 1863: Picketts Charge at GettysburgJul 3
- 02 July 1964: President Johnson Signs the Civil Rights ActJul 2
- 01 July 1916: The Battle of the Somme BeginsJul 1
- 30 June 1908: Tunguska Event Flattens Siberian ForestJun 30
- 29 June 2007: Apple Releases First iPhone and Transforms Mobile IndustryJun 29
- 28 June 1914: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Triggers World War IJun 28
- 27 June 1969: Stonewall Riots Launch LGBTQ Rights MovementJun 27