On This Day in History – January 12

Major Events

• 49 BCE – Julius Caesar delivers a speech to the Roman Senate just days after crossing the Rubicon, solidifying his break with the Republic.
• 1528 – Gustav I of Sweden is crowned king, establishing the modern Swedish state.
• 1628 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony is officially founded by English settlers.
• 1848 – Revolutions break out in Sicily, beginning a wave of uprisings across Europe known as the Revolutions of 1848.
• 1898 – Ito Hirobumi begins his third term as Prime Minister of Japan, shaping Japan’s modernization.
• 1918 – Finnish Civil War begins as the Red Guards seize control of Helsinki.
• 1932 – Hattie Caraway becomes the first woman elected to the United States Senate.
• 1967 – Dr. James Bedford becomes the first person to be cryonically preserved.
• 1998 – Nineteen European nations sign a protocol banning human cloning.
• 2010 – A catastrophic earthquake strikes Haiti, killing hundreds of thousands and prompting a global relief effort.

Famous Birthdays

• 1507 – Pope Paul III, head of the Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation (d. 1549)
• 1628 – Charles Perrault, French author and fairy tale pioneer (d. 1703)
• 1876 – Jack London, American novelist and adventurer (d. 1916)
• 1893 – Hermann Göring, German military and political leader (d. 1946)
• 1926 – Mort Sahl, American comedian and social critic (d. 2021)
• 1943 – Ray Price, American country singer (d. 2013)
• 1946 – Kirstie Alley, American actress (d. 2022)
• 1966 – Rob Zombie, American musician and filmmaker
• 1980 – Amerie, American singer-songwriter

Notable Deaths

• 1519 – Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1459)
• 1628 – Charles Perrault, French writer (b. 1628)
• 1916 – Jack London, American novelist (b. 1876)
• 1932 – Hattie Caraway, American politician (b. 1878)
• 1986 – Agatha Christie, British mystery writer (b. 1890)
• 1998 – Hal Roach, American film producer (b. 1892)
• 2007 – Luciano Pavarotti, Italian opera singer (b. 1935)
• 2016 – David Bowie, English musician (b. 1947)
• 2021 – Sheldon Adelson, American businessman (b. 1933)

Holidays

• Zanzibar Revolution Day – Tanzania
• National Youth Day – India
• Birthday of Swami Vivekananda – Observed in India

Fun Facts

• The 2010 Haiti earthquake was one of the deadliest natural disasters of the 21st century.
• Jack London both was born and died on January 12.
• Cryonics entered public awareness when the first preservation took place on this day.
• Revolutions of 1848 reshaped political systems across Europe.
• National Youth Day in India honors the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.
• January 12 is associated with both innovation and upheaval in history.