April 12
Events
 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
1557 - Cuenca is founded in Ecuador.
1606 - The Union Flag is adopted as the flag of Great Britain.
1633 - The formal inquest of Galileo Galilei by the Inquisition begins.
1776 - American Revolution: With the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorizes its Congressional delegation to vote for independence from Britain.
1820 - Alexander Ypsilantis is declared leader of Filiki Eteria, a secret organization to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece.
1861 - American Civil War: The war begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
1864 - American Civil War: The Fort Pillow massacre: Confederate forces kill most African American soldiers that surrendered at Fort Pillow, Tennessee.
1865 - American Civil War: Mobile, Alabama, falls to the Union Army.
1877 - The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal.
1917 - World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans.
1927 - April 12 Incident: Chiang Kai-shek orders the CPC members executed in Shanghai, ending the First United Front.
1934 - The strongest surface wind gust in the world at 231 mph, is measured on the summit of Mount Washington, US.
1934 - The US Auto-Lite Strike begins, culminating in a five-day melee between Ohio National Guard troops and 6,000 strikers and picketers.
1935 - First flight of the Bristol Blenheim.
1937 - Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft at Rugby, England.
1945 - US President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies while in office; vice-president Harry Truman is sworn in as the 33rd President.
1955 - The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective.
1961 - Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into outer space in Vostok 3KA-2 (Vostok 1).
1963 - The Soviet nuclear powered submarine K-33 collides with the Finnish merchant vessel M/S Finnclipper in the Danish straits.
1968 - Nerve gas accident at Skull Valley, Utah.
1980 - Samuel Doe takes control of Liberia in a coup d'etat, ending over 130 years of national democratic presidential succession.
1980 - Terry Fox begins his "Marathon of Hope" at St. John's, Newfoundland.
1981 - The first launch of a Space Shuttle: Columbia launches on the STS-1 mission.
1990 - Jim Gary's Twentieth Century Dinosaurs exhibition opens at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
1992 - Disneyland Resort Paris opens in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France.
1994 - Canter & Siegel post the first commercial mass Usenet spam.
1998 - An earthquake in Slovenia, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale occurs near the town of Bovec.
1999 - US President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.
2002 - Pedro Carmona becomes interim President of Venezuela during the military coup against Hugo Chávez.
2002 - Palestinian suicide bomber (female) kills 7 and injures 104 (among them 9 Arabs) at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem.
Births
599 BC - Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism (d. 527 BC)
812 - Muhammad at-Taqi, Muslim Shia Imam (d. 835)
1484 - Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Italian architect (d. 1546)
1500 - Joachim Camerarius, German classical scholar (d. 1574)
1526 - Muretus, French humanist (d. 1585)
1550 - Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, English politician (d. 1604)
1577 - Christian IV of Denmark (d. 1648)
1705 - William Cookworthy, English chemist (d. 1780)
1713 - Guillaume Thomas François Raynal, French writer (d. 1796)
1722 - Pietro Nardini, Italian composer (d. 1793)
1724 - Lyman Hall, American signer of the Declaration of Independence (d. 1790)
1726 - Charles Burney, English music historian (d. 1814)
1748 - Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, French botanist (d. 1836)
1777 - Henry Clay, American statesman (d. 1852)
1794 - Germinal Pierre Dandelin, Belgian mathematician (d. 1847)
1796 - George N. Briggs, 19th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1861)
1799 - Henri Druey, Swiss Federal Councilor (d. 1855)
1823 - Alexandr Ostrovsky, Russian dramatist (d. 1886)
1839 - Nikolai Przhevalsky, Russian explorer (d. 1888)
1848 - José Gautier Benítez, Puerto Rican poet (d. 1880)
1852 - Ferdinand von Lindemann, German mathematician (d. 1939)
1856 - William Martin Conway, English art critic and mountaineer (d. 1937)
1868 - Akiyama Saneyuki, Japanese naval commander (d. 1918)
1869 - Henri Désiré Landru, French serial killer (d. 1922)
1871 - Ioannis Metaxas, Greek general and dictator (d. 1941)
1883 - Dally Messenger, Australian rugby league footballer (d. 1959)
1884 - Otto Meyerhof, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate (d. 1951)
1884 - Tenby Davies, Welsh world champion runner (d. 1932)
1887 - Harold Lockwood, American actor (d. 1918)
1888 - Heinrich Neuhaus, Soviet musician (d. 1964)
1892 - Johnny Dodds, American musician (d. 1940)
1893 - Robert Harron, American actor (d. 1920)
1894 - Francisco Craveiro Lopes, 13th President of Portugal (d. 1964)
1898 - Lily Pons, American soprano (d. 1976)
1901 - Lowell Stockman, American representative (d. 1962)
1902 - Louis Beel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1977)
1903 - Jan Tinbergen, Dutch economist, Nobel laureate (d. 1994)
1907 - Felix de Weldon, Austrian-born sculptor (d. 2003)
1907 - Hardie Gramatky, American author and animator (d. 1979)
1908 - Robert Lee Scott, Jr., American Air Force pilot (d. 2006)
1911 - Mahmoud Younis, Suez Canal nationalization Engineer (d. 1976)
1912 - Walt Gorney, American actor (d. 2004)
1912 - Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Second Vice President of Indonesia (d. 1988)
1914 - Armen Alchian, American economist
1916 - Beverly Cleary, American writer
1916 - Benjamin Libet, American scientist (d. 2007)
1917 - Helen Forrest, American singer (d. 1999)
1919 - Billy Vaughn, American musician and bandleader (d. 1991)
1921 - Robert Cliche, Quebec politician and magistrate (d. 1978)
1923 - Ann Miller, American actor and dancer (d. 2004)
1924 - Raymond Barre, French politician and Prime Minister (d. 2007)
1924 - Peter Safar, Austrian physician (d. 2003)
1928 - Hardy Krüger, German actor
1928 - Jean-François Paillard, French conductor
1930 - Manuel Neri, American artist
1930 - Michal Zyczkowski, Polish technician (d. 2006)
1932 - Dennis Banks, American activist
1932 - Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lankan politician (d. 2005)
1932 - Tiny Tim, American musician (d. 1996)
1933 - Montserrat Caballé, Spanish soprano
1934 - Heinz Schneiter, Swiss footballer
1939 - Alan Ayckbourn, English writer
1939 - Johnny Raper, Australian rugby league footballer
1940 - Herbie Hancock, American musician and composer
1940 - John Hagee, American pastor and televangelist
1941 - Bobby Moore, English footballer (d. 1993)
1942 - Carlos Reutemann, Argentine racing driver and politician
1944 - John Kay, German-born musician
1945 - Lee Jong-wook, Korean Director-General of the WHO (d. 2006)
1946 - Ed O'Neill, American actor
1947 - Tom Clancy, American author
1947 - Woody Johnson, sports team owner
1947 - Antonin Kratochvil photographer
1947 - David Letterman, American talk show host
1948 - Jeremy Beadle, English television presenter (d. 2008)
1948 - Joschka Fischer, Foreign Minister of Germany
1948 - Sandra "Lois" Reeves, American singer
1949 - Scott Turow, American writer
1950 - Flavio Briatore, Italian businessman and F1 team principal (Renault F1)
1950 - David Cassidy, American singer and actor
1950 - Kari Palaste, Finnish architect
1952 - Ralph Wiley, American sports journalist (d. 2004)
1952 - Reuben Gant, American professional football player
1954 - Pat Travers, Canadian musician
1956 - Andy Garcia, Cuban-born actor
1956 - Herbert Grönemeyer, German singer
1957 - Vince Gill, American musician
1958 - Will Sergeant, English musician
1958 - Howard Stableford, English actor and host
1960 - Ron MacLean, Canadian sportscaster
1961 - Lisa Gerrard, Australian musician
1961 - Magda Szubanski, Australian actress
1962 - Art Alexakis, American musician
1962 - Takada Nobuhiko, Japanese wrestler
1964 - Amy Ray, American musician
1965 - Tom O'Brien, American actor-producer
1967 - Sarah Cracknell, English singer
1967 - Mellow Man Ace, Afro-Cuban rapper
1969 - Lucas Radebe, South African footballer
1970 - Nick Hexum, American musician
1971 - Nicholas Brendon, American actor
1971 - Shannen Doherty, American actor
1972 - Sebnem Ferah, Turkish singer
1972 - Paul Lo Duca, American baseball player
1972 - Dimitrios Kokotis, Greek high jumper
1973 - J. Scott Campbell, American comic book artist
1973 - Antonio Osuna, Mexican baseball player
1973 - Claudia Jordan, American model
1974 - Belinda Emmett, Australian actor(d. 2006)
1974 - Roman Hamrlik, Czech ice hockey player
1974 - Marley Shelton, American actor
1974 - Sylvinho, Brazilian footballer
1976 - Brad Miller, American basketball player
1977 - Giovanny Espinoza, Ecuadorian footballer
1977 - Glenn Rogers, Scottish Cricket Player
1977 - Sarah Jane Morris, American actor
1977 - Jordana Spiro, American actor
1978 - Guy Berryman, British musician
1978 - Riley Smith, American actor
1979 - Claire Danes, American actor
1979 - Elena Grosheva, Olympic gymnast
1979 - Mateja Kežman, Serbian footballer
1979 - Jennifer Morrison, American actress and model
1979 - Paul Nicholls, English actor
1979 - Jordan De Jong, American baseball player
1980 - Brian McFadden, Irish Singer
1980 - Erik Mongrain, Canadian musician
1981 - Nicolás Burdisso, Argentine footballer
1981 - Jaspreet Singh, businessman
1981 - Brian Vandborg, Danish cyclist
1982 - Deen, Bosnian singer
1985 - Hitomi Yoshizawa, Japanese singer
1985 - Jeisa Chiminazzo, Brazilian supermodel
1985 - Ted Ginn, American football player
1985 - Paul Murphy, Irish footballer
1985 - Olga Seryabkina, Russian singer
1986 - Blerim Džemaili, Swiss footballer
1987 - Brendon Urie, American musician (Panic at the Disco)
1994 - Saoirse Ronan, Irish actress
1994 - Airi Suzuki, Japanese singer
Deaths
45 BC - Gnaeus Pompeius, the Younger, Roman general
65 - Seneca the Younger, Roman philosopher, statesman and dramatist
238 - Gordian I, Roman Emperor (suicide)
238 - Gordian II, heir to the Roman Empire (killed in battle)
352 - St. Julius I, 35th Pope
434 - Archbishop Maximianus of Constantinople
1125 - Vladislaus I of Bohemia
1443 - Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury
1550 - Claude, Duke of Guise, French soldier (b. 1496)
1555 - Juana of Castile, wife of Philip I of Castile (b. 1479)
1675 - Richard Bennett, British Colonial Governor of Virginia (b. 1609)
1687 - Ambrose Dixon, Virginia Colony pioneer
1704 - Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, French bishop and writer (b. 1627)
1748 - William Kent, English architect
1782 - Metastasio, Italian poet and librettist (b. 1698)
1788 - Carlo Antonio Campioni, French-born composer (b. 1719)
1795 - Johann Kaspar Basselet von La Rosée, Bavarian general (b. 1710)
1814 - Charles Burney, English music historian (b. 1726)
1850 - Adoniram Judson, American Baptist missionary (b. 1788)
1872 - Nikolaos Mantzaros, Greek composer (b. 1795)
1878 - William Marcy Tweed, aka Boss Tweed, American politician (b. 1823)
1898 - Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, Roman catholic archbishop of Quebec (b. 1820)
1902 - Marie Alfred Cornu, French physicist (b. 1842)
1912 - Clara Barton, American nurse and Red Cross advocate (b. 1821)
1938 - Feodor Chaliapin, Russian bass (b. 1873)
1945 - Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States (b. 1882)
1962 - Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, Indian politician and engineer (b. 1861)
1962 - Ron Flockhart, Scottish racing driver (b. 1923)
1968 - Heinrich Nordhoff, German automobile engineer and Volkswagen director (b. 1899)
1971 - Igor Tamm, Russian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1895)
1971 - Ed Lafitte, American baseball player (b. 1871)
1971 - Wynton Kelly, American jazz pianist (b. 1931)
1975 - Josephine Baker, American dancer (b. 1906)
1977 - Phil Wrigley, American manufacturer and baseball executive (b. 1894)
1980 - Clark McConachy, New Zealand billiards and snooker player (b. 1895)
1980 - William R. Tolbert, Jr., President of Liberia (b. 1913)
1981 - Joe Louis, American boxer (b. 1914)
1983 - Carl Morton, American baseball player (b. 1944)
1986 - Valentin Kataev, Russian writer (b. 1897)
1987 - Mike Von Erich, American wrestler
1988 - Alan Paton, South African writer (b. 1903)
1989 - Gerald Flood, British actor (b. 1927)
1989 - Abbie Hoffman, American political leader (b. 1936)
1989 - Sugar Ray Robinson, American boxer (b. 1921)
1999 - Boxcar Willie, American singer (b. 1931)
2001 - Harvey Ball, American inventor (b. 1921)
2003 - Cecil H. Green, American manufacturer (b. 1900)
2006 - Dr. Rajkumar, Kannada language film actor/singer (India)(b. 1929)
2006 - Puggy Pearson, American poker player (b. 1929)
2007 - Kevin Crease, Australian TV anchor (b. 1936)
2008 - Paddy Hillery, 6th President of Ireland, EEC Commissioner and Irish Minister (b. 1923)
2008 - Cecilia Colledge, British ice skater and Olympian (b. 1920)
2008 - Jerry Zucker, Israeli-born American businessman (b. 1949)
Holidays and observances
The Roman holiday of Cerealia begins.
Yuri's Night, an international celebration of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin; in Russia (and formerly in USSR), the Cosmonautics Day.
The Feast of St. Basil the Confessor in the Greek Orthodox Church.
In the Roman Catholic Church:
Saint Damian
Saint Erkembode
Saint Julius I
Saint Zeno of Verona
Saint Alferius
Blessed Angelo Carletti di Chivasso
Saint Constantine
Saint Sabas
Saint Victor
Saint Wigbert
External links
BBC: On This Day
On This Day in Canada
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