ON THIS DAY

EVENTS FROM THIS DAY IN HISTORY VISUALISED BY AI

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JULY 12

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On July 12th, 1109, Crusader forces finally seized the Mediterranean port city of Tripoli after a brutal seven-year siege. Its fall established the County of Tripoli—one of the four major Crusader states—and secured a vital coastal stronghold. Though celebrated in Europe as a triumph of faith, the conquest deepened divisions in the region and set the stage for even bloodier confrontations between Muslim and Christian forces.

A broken, weather-beaten ship lies half-submerged near the shore

1109 – Siege by the Sea: Crusaders Capture Tripoli

Robinson Crusoe, now alone on the deserted island, scavenging the wreckage for tools and supplies

robinson Crusoe fashioning his first shelter from palm leaves and driftwood, building a rudimentary

In 1630, the Dutch governor of New Amsterdam purchased Gull Island from local Indigenous people, renaming it Oyster Island for its shellfish-rich waters. Centuries later, it would become known as Ellis Island—the famed entry point for millions of immigrants seeking a new life in America. The island’s transformation reflects the shifting tides of colonial ambition, trade, and, eventually, the American dream in motion.

modest medical room in 1846, where Dr. William Morton prepares to use ether for the first time

1630 – From Gull Island to Gateway: The Story Behind Ellis Island

Dr. Morton administers ether to the patient

. Dr. Morton stands by his patient, who lies peacefully in the chair, still under the effects of eth

On July 12th, 1804, Alexander Hamilton succumbed to injuries from a duel with Vice President Aaron Burr the day before. Their deadly encounter, fought near Weehawken, New Jersey, ended one of the most contentious rivalries in early American politics. Hamilton’s death silenced a founding visionary, while Burr’s reputation never recovered. The affair stunned the nation and helped accelerate the decline of dueling in American public life.

Black soldiers from the U.S. Colored Troops charge uphill, braving a hailstorm of Confederate gunfir

1804 – The Duel That Shaped a Nation: Hamilton’s Fatal Wound

Black soldier holding the American flag aloft, even as his fellow troops fall around him

A group of Black soldiers, their uniforms dirty and torn from combat, stand in a line as they are aw

British colonial forces invaded the Waikato region of New Zealand on July 12th, 1863, targeting the stronghold of the Māori King Movement. It marked a new and aggressive phase in the New Zealand Wars. Seeking to crush indigenous resistance and seize fertile land, the campaign triggered bloody confrontations and deepened Māori grievances. The invasion reshaped New Zealand’s political future and left wounds still felt today.

narrow streets of Whitechapel at night. Gas lamps cast eerie pools of light on the cobblestone alley

1863 – War in the Waikato: Britain Invades the Māori Heartland

haotic scene as police officers and horrified bystanders gather around the body of Catherine Eddowes

ftermath of the murders as panic spreads through the streets of Whitechapel. Local residents, dresse

In the midst of the Great Depression, Congress passed the first U.S. minimum wage law on July 12th, 1933, setting pay at 33 cents per hour. The move, part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, aimed to protect workers from exploitation and stabilize an economy in freefall. Though controversial at the time, it laid the foundation for modern labor standards and changed the American workplace forever.