12. April
1204 – The Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade breach the walls of Constantinople and enter the city, which they completely occupy the following day.
1633 – The formal inquest of Galileo Galilei by the Inquisition begins.
1831 – Soldiers marching on the Broughton Suspension Bridge in Manchester, England cause it to collapse.
1877 – The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal.
1945 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies while in office; vice-president Harry Truman is sworn in as the 33rd President.
1961 – The 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).
1981 – The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) launches on the STS-1 mission.
1992 – The Euro Disney Resort officially opens with its theme park Euro Disneyland. The resort and its park's name are subsequently changed to Disneyland Paris.
Birthdays:
1928 – Hardy Krüger, German actor
1933 – Montserrat Caballé, Spanish soprano
1940 – Herbie Hancock, American musician and composer
1947 – Alex Briley, American singer (Village People)
1947 – Tom Clancy, American author
1947 – David Letterman, American talk show host
1948 – Joschka Fischer, Foreign Minister of Germany 1998-2005
1956 – Herbert Grönemeyer, German singer
The first day of Cerealia (Roman Empire)
Global Day of Action on Military Spending
Quote of the Day:
One should always play fair when one has the winning cards.
- Oscar Wilde
1204 – The Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade breach the walls of Constantinople and enter the city, which they completely occupy the following day.
1633 – The formal inquest of Galileo Galilei by the Inquisition begins.
1831 – Soldiers marching on the Broughton Suspension Bridge in Manchester, England cause it to collapse.
1877 – The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal.
1945 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies while in office; vice-president Harry Truman is sworn in as the 33rd President.
1961 – The 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).
1981 – The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) launches on the STS-1 mission.
1992 – The Euro Disney Resort officially opens with its theme park Euro Disneyland. The resort and its park's name are subsequently changed to Disneyland Paris.
Birthdays:
1928 – Hardy Krüger, German actor
1933 – Montserrat Caballé, Spanish soprano
1940 – Herbie Hancock, American musician and composer
1947 – Alex Briley, American singer (Village People)
1947 – Tom Clancy, American author
1947 – David Letterman, American talk show host
1948 – Joschka Fischer, Foreign Minister of Germany 1998-2005
1956 – Herbert Grönemeyer, German singer
The first day of Cerealia (Roman Empire)
Global Day of Action on Military Spending
Quote of the Day:
One should always play fair when one has the winning cards.
- Oscar Wilde