On This Day in History – February 12

Major Events

• 1541 – Santiago, the capital of Chile, is founded by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, becoming a major city in South America.
• 1733 – James Oglethorpe and the first English settlers arrive in Savannah, establishing the colony of Georgia.
• 1809 – Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln are born on the same day, both going on to profoundly shape science and politics respectively.
• 1818 – Chile formally proclaims its independence from Spain.
• 1870 – Women gain the right to vote in the Utah Territory, an early milestone in women’s suffrage history.
• 1909 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is founded in New York City.
• 1912 – Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, abdicates the throne, ending over 2,000 years of imperial rule.
• 1941 – German General Erwin Rommel arrives in North Africa during World War II, beginning the Afrika Korps campaign.
• 1974 – The Soviet Union expels writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn, sending him into exile.
• 2001 – The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR Shoemaker) spacecraft becomes the first to land on an asteroid.

Famous Birthdays

• Abraham Lincoln – American statesman, 16th President of the United States (1809–1865)
• Charles Darwin – English naturalist and biologist (1809–1882)
• Abdul Kalam – Indian aerospace scientist and President of India (1931–2015)
• Bill Russell – American basketball legend (1934–2022)
• Ray Manzarek – American musician, member of The Doors (1939–2013)
• Christina Ricci – American actress (1980)
• Josh Brolin – American actor (1968)
• Arsenio Hall – American comedian and television host (1956)
• Freddie Stroma – British actor and musician (1987)

Notable Deaths

• Abraham Lincoln – American President (1865, born 1809)
• Immanuel Kant – German philosopher (1804, born 1724)
• Charles Darwin – English naturalist (1882, born 1809)
• Sidney Poitier – Bahamian-American actor (2022, born 1927)
• Alexander Solzhenitsyn – Russian writer and historian (2008, born 1918)
• Jean Renoir – French film director (1979, born 1894)
• Julio Cortázar – Argentine writer (1984, born 1914)
• Benedict Arnold – American military officer (1801, born 1741)
• David Bowie (symbolic cultural remembrance date) – British musician (2016, born 1947)

Holidays

• Lincoln’s Birthday – Observed in parts of the United States
• Darwin Day – International observance celebrating science and evolution
• Independence Day – Chile (observed historically)
• Union Day – Myanmar

Fun Facts

• Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on the exact same day in 1809.
• Darwin Day is celebrated worldwide to promote science education and critical thinking.
• The NAACP played a crucial role in the American civil rights movement throughout the 20th century.
• The last emperor of China was only six years old when he abdicated the throne.
• The NEAR Shoemaker mission proved that spacecraft could safely land on asteroids.
• Utah was one of the earliest regions to grant women voting rights in the United States.