What happened on April 12? There are more than 276 events that were made this day in history. Here are the important historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
Interesting Facts & Myths About April 12
April 12 is the 103rd day of the year 2024. There are 263 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday. This day falls under the 15th week of the year 2024.
On this day in Richmond, Virginia 23292 sunrise occured at 06:36 AM and sunset occured at 07:44 PM (local time).
The zodiac sign of a person born on this day is Aries. The modern birthstone for this month is Diamond while the mystical birthstone is Opal.
According to the Chinese calendar, there are 292 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year (January 29, 2025).
Is your birthday coming up in two days? Are you not curious to find out who is sharing your special day? Discover all the April 18 famous birthdays. There are fun facts about that day that you must know. (Sponsored link)
Historical Events For April 12
- 238Gordian II lost the Battle of Carthage against the Numidian forces loyal to Maximinus Thrax and is killed. Gordian I, his father, commits suicide.
- 467Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
- 1204The Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade breach the walls of Constantinople and enter the city, which they completely occupy the following day.
- 1557Cuenca is founded in Ecuador.
- 1606The Union Flag is adopted as the flag of Great Britain.
- 1633The formal inquest of Galileo Galilei by the Inquisition begins.
- 1776American Revolution: With the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorizes its Congressional delegation to vote for independence from Britain.
- 1820Alexander Ypsilantis is declared leader of Filiki Eteria, a secret organization to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece.
- 1831Soldiers marching on the Broughton Suspension Bridge in Manchester, England cause it to collapse.
- 1861American Civil War: The war begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
- 1862American Civil War: The Andrews Raid (the Great Locomotive Chase) occurred, starting from Big Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw).
- 1864American Civil War: The Fort Pillow massacre: Confederate forces kill most of the African American soldiers that surrendered at Fort Pillow, Tennessee.
- 1865American Civil War: Mobile, Alabama, falls to the Union Army.
- 1877The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal.
- 1910The SMS Zrinyi, one of the last pre-dreadnoughts built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy, is launched.
- 1917World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans.
- 1927April 12 Incident: Chiang Kai-shek orders the Communist Party of China members executed in Shanghai, ending the First United Front.
- 1934The U.S. Auto-Lite Strike begins, culminating in a five-day melee between Ohio National Guard troops and 6,000 strikers and picketers.
- 1934The strongest surface wind gust in the world at 231 mph, is measured on the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire.
- 1935First flight of the Bristol Blenheim.
- 1937Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft, at Rugby, England.
- 1945U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies while in office; vice-president Harry Truman is sworn in as the 33rd President.
- 1954Bill Haley & His Comets record “Rock Around the Clock” in New York City.
- 1955The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective.
- 1961The Russian (Soviet) cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into outer space and perform the first manned orbital flight, in Vostok 3KA-2 (Vostok 1).
- 1963The Soviet nuclear powered submarine K-33 collides with the Finnish merchant vessel M/S Finnclipper in the Danish straits.
- 1968Nerve gas accident at Skull Valley, Utah.
- 1970Soviet submarine K-8, carrying four nuclear torpedoes, sinks in the Bay of Biscay four days after a fire on board.
- 1980Samuel Doe takes control of Liberia in a coup d'état, ending over 130 years of minority Americo-Liberian rule over the country.
- 1980Terry Fox begins his “Marathon of Hope” at St. John’s, Newfoundland.
- 1981The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) launches on the STS-1 mission.
- 1990Jim Gary’s “Twentieth Century Dinosaurs” exhibition opens at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
- 1992The Euro Disney Resort officially opens with its theme park Euro Disneyland. The resort and its park’s name are subsequently changed to Disneyland Paris.
- 1994Canter & Siegel post the first commercial mass Usenet spam.
- 1998An earthquake in Slovenia, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale occurs near the town of Bovec.
- 1999US President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving “intentionally false statements” in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.
- 2002A female suicide bomber detonated at the entrance to Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda open-air market, killing 7 and wounding 104.
- 2007A suicide bomber penetrated the Green Zone and detonated in a cafeteria within a parliament building, killing Iraqi MP Mohammed Awad and wounding more than twenty other people.
- 2009Zimbabwe officially abandons the Zimbabwe Dollar as their official currency.
- 2010A train derails near Merano, Italy, after running into a landslide, causing nine deaths and injuring 28 people.
Who Were Born On April 12?
- 599 BCMahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism (d. 527 BC)
- 812Muhammad at-Taqi, Muslim Shia Imam (d. 835)
- 1484Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Italian architect (d. 1546)
- 1500Joachim Camerarius, German classical scholar (d. 1574)
- 1526Muretus, French humanist (d. 1585)
- 1550Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, English politician (d. 1604)
- 1577King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway (d. 1648)
- 1705William Cookworthy, English chemist (d. 1780)
- 1713Guillaume Thomas François Raynal, French writer (d. 1796)
- 1722Pietro Nardini, Italian composer (d. 1793)
- 1724Lyman Hall, American signer of the Declaration of Independence (d. 1790)
- 1748Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, French botanist (d. 1836)
- 1777Henry Clay, American statesman (d. 1852)
- 1792John George Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, Governor General of British North America (d. 1840)
- 1794Germinal Pierre Dandelin, Belgian mathematician (d. 1847)
- 1796George N. Briggs, 19th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1861)
- 1799Henri Druey, Swiss Federal Councilor (d. 1855)
- 1823Alexander Ostrovsky, Russian dramatist (d. 1886)
- 1839Nikolai Przhevalsky, Russian explorer (d. 1888)
- 1848José Gautier Benítez, Puerto Rican poet (d. 1880)
- 1851Edward Walter Maunder, English astronomer (d. 1928)
- 1852Ferdinand von Lindemann, German mathematician (d. 1939)
- 1856William Martin Conway, English art critic and mountaineer (d. 1937)
- 1866Princess Viktoria of Prussia (d. 1929)
- 1868Akiyama Saneyuki, Japanese naval commander (d. 1918)
- 1869Henri Désiré Landru, French serial killer (d. 1922)
- 1871Ioannis Metaxas, Greek general and dictator (d. 1941)
- 1874William B. Bankhead, American politician, Speaker of the House of Representatives (d. 1940)
- 1883Dally Messenger, Australian rugby league footballer (d. 1959)
- 1884Otto Meyerhof, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate (d. 1951)
- 1884Tenby Davies, Welsh runner (d. 1932)
- 1887Harold Lockwood, American actor (d. 1918)
- 1888Heinrich Neuhaus, Soviet musician (d. 1964)
- 1892Johnny Dodds, American musician (d. 1940)
- 1893Robert Harron, American actor (d. 1920)
- 1894Francisco Craveiro Lopes, 13th President of Portugal (d. 1964)
- 1898Lily Pons, American soprano (d. 1976)
- 1901Lowell Stockman, American representative (d. 1962)
- 1902Louis Beel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1977)
- 1903Jan Tinbergen, Dutch economist, Nobel laureate (d. 1994)
- 1907Felix de Weldon, Austrian-born sculptor (d. 2003)
- 1907Hardie Gramatky, American author and animator (d. 1979)
- 1908Ida Crowe Pollock, English writer
- 1908Robert Lee Scott, Jr., American pilot (d. 2006)
- 1911Mahmoud Younis, Suez Canal engineer (d. 1976)
- 1912Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Second Vice President of Indonesia (d. 1988)
- 1912Walt Gorney, American actor (d. 2004)
- 1913Keiko Fukuda, Japanese-born American martial artist
- 1914Armen Alchian, American economist
- 1916Benjamin Libet, American scientist (d. 2007)
- 1916Beverly Cleary, American writer
- 1916Russell Garcia, American composer for screen, stage and broadcast (d. 2011)
- 1917Helen Forrest, American singer (d. 1999)
- 1919Billy Vaughn, American musician and bandleader (d. 1991)
- 1921Robert Cliche, Quebec politician and magistrate (d. 1978)
- 1923Ann Miller, American actor and dancer (d. 2004)
- 1924Peter Safar, Austrian physician (d. 2003)
- 1924Raymond Barre, French politician and Prime Minister (d. 2007)
- 1925Joe Bowman, American sharpshooter, Hollywood consultant, bootmaker & master showman (d. 2009)
- 1928Hardy Krüger, German actor
- 1928Jean-François Paillard, French conductor
- 1929Mukhran Machavariani, Georgian poet (d. 2010)
- 1930Manuel Neri, American artist
- 1930Michał Życzkowski, Polish technician (d. 2006)
- 1931Leonid Derbenyov, Russian poet-songwriter (d. 1995)
- 1932Dennis Banks, American Indian activist
- 1932Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lankan politician (d. 2005)
- 1932Tiny Tim, American musician (d. 1996)
- 1933Montserrat Caballé, Spanish soprano
- 1934Heinz Schneiter, Swiss footballer
- 1935Jimmy Makulis, Greek singer (d. 2007)
- 1936Charles Napier, American actor (d. 2011)
- 1937Igor Volk, Soviet astronaut
- 1939Alan Ayckbourn, English writer
- 1939Johnny Raper, Australian rugby league footballer
- 1940Herbie Hancock, American musician and composer
- 1940John Hagee, American pastor and televangelist
- 1941Bobby Moore, English footballer (d. 1993)
- 1942Carlos Reutemann, Argentine racing driver and politician
- 1942Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa
- 1944Georgios Balanos, Greek translator, author and publisher
- 1944John Kay, German-born musician
- 1945Lee Jong-wook, Korean Director-General of the WHO (d. 2006)
- 1946Ed O'Neill, American actor
- 1947Antonin Kratochvil, Czech-born American photographer
- 1947Dan Lauria, American actor
- 1947David Letterman, American talk show host
- 1947Tom Clancy, American author
- 1947Wayne Northrop, American actor
- 1947Woody Johnson, sports team owner
- 1948Jeremy Beadle, English television presenter (d. 2008)
- 1948Joschka Fischer, Foreign Minister of Germany 1998-2005
- 1948Marcello Lippi, Italian football coach
- 1948Sandra “Lois” Reeves, American singer
- 1949Scott Turow, American writer
- 1950David Cassidy, American singer and actor
- 1950Flavio Briatore, Italian businessman and F1 team principal (Renault F1)
- 1951Tom Noonan, American actor
- 1952Ralph Wiley, American sports journalist (d. 2004)
- 1952Reuben Gant, American professional football player
- 1954Jon Krakauer, American author
- 1954Pat Travers, Canadian musician
- 1956Andy García, Cuban-born actor
- 1956Herbert Grönemeyer, German singer
- 1957Greg Child, Australian mountaineer
- 1957Vince Gill, American musician
- 1958Howard Stableford, English actor and host
- 1958Will Sergeant, English musician
- 1960Ron MacLean, Canadian sportscaster
- 1961Charles Mann, American football player
- 1961Lisa Gerrard, Australian musician
- 1961Magda Szubanski, Australian actress
- 1962Art Alexakis, American musician
- 1962Takada Nobuhiko, Japanese wrestler
- 1964Amy Ray, American musician
- 1965Kim Bodnia, Danish actor
- 1965Tom O'Brien, American actor-producer
- 1967Mellow Man Ace, Afro-Cuban rapper
- 1967Sarah Cracknell, English singer
- 1968Adam Graves, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1968Alicia Coppola, American actress
- 1969Lucas Radebe, South African footballer
- 1971Nicholas Brendon, American actor
- 1971Nick Hexum, American musician
- 1971Shannen Doherty, American actor
- 1972Dimitrios Kokotis, Greek high jumper
- 1972Paul Lo Duca, American baseball player
- 1972Sebnem Ferah, Turkish singer
- 1973Antonio Osuna, Mexican baseball player
- 1973Claudia Jordan, American model
- 1973J. Scott Campbell, American comic book artist
- 1974Belinda Emmett, Australian actor (d. 2006)
- 1974Marley Shelton, American actor
- 1974Roman Hamrlík, Czech ice hockey player
- 1974Sylvinho, Brazilian footballer
- 1976Brad Miller, American basketball player
- 1977Giovanny Espinoza, Ecuadorian footballer
- 1977Glenn Rogers, Scottish cricketer
- 1977Jason Price, Welsh footballer
- 1977Jordana Spiro, American actor
- 1977Sarah Jane Morris, American actor
- 1978Guy Berryman, Scottish musician (Coldplay)
- 1978Riley Smith, American actor
- 1979Claire Danes, American actress
- 1979Cristian Ranalli, Italian footballer
- 1979Elena Grosheva, Russian gymnast
- 1979Jennifer Morrison, American actress and model
- 1979Jordan De Jong, American baseball player
- 1979Mateja Kežman, Serbian footballer
- 1979Paul Nicholls, English actor
- 1980Brian McFadden, Irish singer
- 1980Erik Mongrain, Canadian musician
- 1981Brian Vandborg, Danish cyclist
- 1981Grant Holt, English footballer
- 1981Nicolás Burdisso, Argentine footballer
- 1982Deen, Bosnian singer
- 1983Dwayne Smith, West Indian cricketer
- 1983Jelena Dokić, Serbian/Australian tennis player
- 1984brentalfloss, American YouTube celebrity
- 1985Anna-Katharina Samsel, German actress
- 1985Hitomi Yoshizawa, Japanese singer
- 1985Jeísa Chiminazzo, Brazilian model
- 1985Olga Seryabkina, Russian singer
- 1985Ted Ginn, Jr., American football player
- 1986Blerim Džemaili, Swiss footballer
- 1986Marcel Granollers, Spanish tennis player
- 1987Brendon Urie, American musician (Panic at the Disco)
- 1987Brooklyn Decker, American model and actress
- 1987Shawn Gore, Canadian football player
- 1988Amedeo Calliari, Italian footballer
- 1993Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1994Airi Suzuki, Japanese singer
- 1994Saoirse Ronan, Irish actress
- 2000Suzanna von Nathusius, Polish actress
Who Died On April 12?
- 45 BCGnaeus Pompeius, Roman general
- 65Seneca the Younger, Roman philosopher, statesman, and dramatist
- 238Gordian I, Roman Emperor
- 238Gordian II, heir to the Roman Empire
- 352St. Julius I, 35th Pope
- 434Archbishop Maximianus of Constantinople
- 1125Vladislaus I of Bohemia (b. 1065)
- 1443Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1550Claude, Duke of Guise, French soldier (b. 1496)
- 1555Joanna of Castile, wife of Philip I of Castile (b. 1479)
- 1675Richard Bennett, British Colonial Governor of Virginia (b. 1609)
- 1684Nicolò Amati, Italian luthier and member of the Amati family (b. 1596)
- 1687Ambrose Dixon, British-born American settler (b. c. 1619)
- 1704Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, French bishop and writer (b. 1627)
- 1748William Kent, English architect (b. c. 1685)
- 1782Metastasio, Italian poet and librettist (b. 1698)
- 1788Carlo Antonio Campioni, French-born composer (b. 1719)
- 1795Johann Kaspar Basselet von La Rosée, Bavarian general (b. 1710)
- 1814Charles Burney, English music historian (b. 1726)
- 1817Charles Messier, French astronomer (b. 1730)
- 1850Adoniram Judson, American missionary (b. 1788)
- 1866Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood, English Member of Parliament and developer (b. 1801)
- 1872Nikolaos Mantzaros, Greek composer (b. 1795)
- 1878William Magear “Boss” Tweed, American politician (b. 1823)
- 1898Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, Roman Catholic archbishop of Quebec (b. 1820)
- 1902Marie Alfred Cornu, French physicist (b. 1842)
- 1912Clara Barton, American nurse and Red Cross advocate (b. 1821)
- 1933Adelbert Ames, American general and politician (b. 1835)
- 1938Feodor Chaliapin, Russian bass (b. 1873)
- 1945Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States (b. 1882)
- 1953Lionel Logue, speech therapist who worked with King George VI of the United Kingdom (b. 1880)
- 1962Ron Flockhart, Scottish racing driver (b. 1923)
- 1962Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, Indian politician and engineer (b. 1861)
- 1968Heinrich Nordhoff, German automobile engineer (b. 1899)
- 1971Ed Lafitte, American baseball player (b. 1871)
- 1971Wynton Kelly, American jazz pianist (b. 1931)
- 1975Josephine Baker, American dancer (b. 1906)
- 1977Phil Wrigley, American manufacturer and baseball executive (b. 1894)
- 1980Clark McConachy, New Zealand billiards and snooker player (b. 1895)
- 1980William R. Tolbert, Jr., Liberian politician (b. 1913)
- 1981Joe Louis, American boxer (b. 1914)
- 1983Carl Morton, American baseball player (b. 1944)
- 1984Edwin T. Layton, American naval officer (b. 1903)
- 1986Valentin Kataev, Russian writer (b. 1897)
- 1987Mike Von Erich, American wrestler (b. 1964)
- 1988Alan Paton, South African writer (b. 1903)
- 1989Abbie Hoffman, American political activist (b. 1936)
- 1989Gerald Flood, British actor (b. 1927)
- 1989Sugar Ray Robinson, American boxer (b. 1921)
- 1999Boxcar Willie, American singer (b. 1931)
- 1999Marion Pruett, American spree killer (b. 1949)
- 2001Harvey Ball, American inventor (b. 1921)
- 2002George Shevelov, Ukrainian-born American linguist and academic (b. 1908)
- 2003Sydney Lassick, American actor (b. 1922)
- 2005Ehud Manor, Israeli songwriter, translator, and radio and TV personality (b. 1941)
- 2006Puggy Pearson, American poker player (b. 1929)
- 2006Rajkumar, Indian film actor/singer (b. 1929)
- 2006William Sloane Coffin, American clergyman (b. 1924)
- 2007Kevin Crease, Australian TV anchor (b. 1936)
- 2008Cecilia Colledge, British ice skater (b. 1920)
- 2008Jerry Zucker, Israeli-born American businessman (b. 1949)
- 2008Patrick Hillery, Irish politician (b. 1923)
- 2009Marilyn Chambers, American pornographic actress (b. 1952)
- 2010Palito, Filipino comedian (b. 1934)
Did you know that coffee and word games are an excellent combination to sharpen your vocabulary? Try this! Within 30 seconds, how many words can you think of from these letters OSUYET? Check your answers here: Word scramble OSUYET. (Sponsored by WordFinder.Cafe)