November 12 - The Day in History

November 12 : General Interest 1954: Ellis Island closes On this day in 1954, Ellis Island, the gateway to America, shuts it doors after processing more than 12 million immigrants since opening in 1892... read more American Revolution 1775 : Abigail Adams leads rhetorical charge against Britain http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/abigail-adams-leads-rhetorical-charge-against-britain Automotive 1965 : Goldenrod sets the land-speed record http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/goldenrod-sets-the-land-speed-record Civil War 1864 : The destruction of Atlanta begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-destruction-of-atlanta-begins Cold War 1982 : Yuri Andropov assumes power in the Soviet Union http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/yuri-andropov-assumes-power-in-the-soviet-union Crime 1996 : High school sweethearts murder their newborn child http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/high-school-sweethearts-murder-their-newborn-child 2004 : Scott Peterson convicted http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/scott-peterson-convicted Disaster 2001 : Plane crashes in Rockaway, New York http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/plane-crashes-in-rockaway-new-york General Interest 1799 : First meteor shower on record http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-meteor-shower-on-record 1948 : Japanese war criminals sentenced http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-war-criminals-sentenced 1980 : Voyager I flies near Saturn http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/voyager-i-flies-near-saturn 1990 : Akihito enthroned as emperor of Japan http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/akihito-enthroned-as-emperor-of-japan Hollywood 1981 : William Holden, star of Sunset Boulevard and Network, dies http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/william-holden-star-of-sunset-boulevard-and-network-dies Literary 1889 : DeWitt Wallace, founder of Reader's Digest, is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dewitt-wallace-founder-of-readers-digest-is-born Music 2003 : Toby Keith has his third straight #1 country album with Shock'n Y'all http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/toby-keith-has-his-third-straight-1-country-album-with-shock39n-y39all Old West 1867 : U.S. reconsiders war with Plains Indians http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-reconsiders-war-with-plains-indians Presidential 1979 : Carter shuts down oil imports from Iran http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/carter-shuts-down-oil-imports-from-iran Sports 1892 : Pudge Heffelfinger becomes first pro football player http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pudge-heffelfinger-becomes-first-pro-football-player Vietnam War 1969 : Seymour Hersh breaks My Lai story http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/seymour-hersh-breaks-my-lai-story 1971 : Nixon sets new deadline for next troop withdrawal http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-sets-new-deadline-for-next-troop-withdrawal World War I 1918 : Allied fleet enters Dardanelles http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allied-fleet-enters-dardanelles World War II 1944 : Brits sink the battleship Tirpitz http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/brits-sink-the-battleship-tirpitz

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