This Day In History, December 12th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on December 12th
Henry Ford unveiled the first Model T automobile in 1908.
1946 - The International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg issued its judgments, executing 12 Nazi leaders and imprisoning seven more.
Johnny Carson began anchoring "The Tonight Show" on NBC in 1962.
Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida in 1971.
In 2017, 58 people were killed and hundreds were injured in a mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1098: First Crusade - The Siege of Ma'arrat al-Numan: During the First Crusade, Crusader forces led by Raymond IV of Toulouse captured the city of Ma'arrat al-Numan in present-day Syria after a lengthy siege. The Crusaders were said to have engaged in cannibalism during the siege, which became a controversial aspect of the event.
According to historical reports, during the siege of Ma'arrat al-Numan, the Crusaders experienced serious food shortages, and some of them resorted to cannibalism, purportedly ingesting the flesh of Muslim and Christian captives. This occurrence has sparked debate and outrage throughout history, with many calling the Crusaders' conduct brutal and savage. However, not all accounts of the event agree on the extent or nature of the alleged cannibalism, and some historians believe it was exaggerated or misreported.
1787: Pennsylvania becomes the second state to ratify the United States Constitution: On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania ratified the United States Constitution, becoming the second state to do so after Delaware. This marked an important step towards the establishment of the new federal government.
Pennsylvania's adoption of the United States Constitution on December 12, 1787, was a significant step in the process of establishing the new federal government. Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the Constitution, following Delaware five days earlier. To become effective, the Constitution required to be approved by at least nine states, and Pennsylvania's ratification raised the overall number of ratifying states to two. By 1790, all 13 states had ratified the Constitution, laying the stage for the formation of the United States government as we know it today.
1800: Washington, D.C., becomes the capital of the United States: On December 12, 1800, Washington, D.C., officially became the capital of the United States. The city was established as part of a compromise between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson to locate the national capital in a southern state.
In 1790, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson agreed to build a new capital for the United States as part of a compromise. In exchange for Hamilton's backing of Jefferson's plan to absorb state debts, the capital would be placed in a southern state. President George Washington and a panel of commissioners decided the site for the capital, which would become Washington, D.C., on the Potomac River. The federal government formally relocated to the new capital on December 12, 1800, which would become the seat of the United States government and the home of the president and Congress.
One of the most influential and popular singers of the 20th century, Frank Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey. He gained fame as a solo artist and became known as "The Voice" or "Ol' Blue Eyes."
Frank Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey, and went on to become one of the twentieth century's most famous and influential vocalists. In the 1940s, he was a member of the Tommy Dorsey band, and then went on to become a solo artist, recording some of the most cherished and popular tunes of the day. Sinatra's silky, mellow voice and exquisite phrasing gave him the nicknames "The Voice" and "Ol' Blue Eyes," and he remains an enduring cultural figure, with generations of followers adoring his music.
On December 12, 2000, the Supreme Court of the United States rendered its decision in the controversial case of Bush v. Gore, effectively ending the recount of votes in Florida and declaring George W. Bush the winner of the 2000 presidential election. This decision played a significant role in shaping American political history.
On December 12, 2000, the United States Supreme Court delivered its ruling in the matter of Bush v. Gore, which arose from a disputed vote recount in Florida during the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The ruling of the Supreme Court essentially halted the ongoing recount in Florida and determined that no constitutionally viable recount could be completed by the state's statutory deadline. This judgment had a significant influence on the election's outcome, as it resulted in George W. Bush being proclaimed the winner of the electoral votes in Florida, assuring his overall victory. The ruling is still contentious, and there is continuous debate and study about its legal and ethical implications.