A massive earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China, killing nearly 70,000 people
MajorThe 7.9 magnitude quake devastated the region, with entire towns buried by landslides and over 5 million people left homeless. Thousands of schoolchil...
May 12 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2008
2002
Former President Jimmy Carter became the first U.S. president to visit Cuba since 1928
Carter's five-day trip broke decades of diplomatic isolation between the two countries. He met with Fidel Castro, toured hospitals and schools, and ga...
1982
Braniff International Airways ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy
The Dallas-based airline became the first major U.S. carrier to go bankrupt in aviation history, grounding its entire fleet overnight. Over 9,000 empl...
1975
The Mayaguez incident ended when U.S. forces rescued the crew of a captured merchant ship from Cambodia
Khmer Rouge forces had seized the American container ship near a disputed island, prompting the last official battle of the Vietnam War era. The rescu...
1968
The nuclear submarine USS Scorpion was last heard from before vanishing with 99 crew members aboard
The sub disappeared mysteriously in the Atlantic Ocean while returning to Norfolk from the Mediterranean. Its wreckage wasn't found until October, res...
1967
Pink Floyd performed at the first major rock concert held at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall
The psychedelic rock pioneers played their groundbreaking 'Games for May' concert featuring experimental quadraphonic sound and bubble machines. The s...
1949
The Soviet Union lifted the Berlin Blockade after 11 months
MajorThe blockade had cut off all land and water access to West Berlin, forcing the Allies to airlift supplies for nearly a year. The lifting of the blocka...
1937
George VI was crowned King of the United Kingdom in Westminster Abbey
MajorGeorge VI, who famously struggled with a stammer, became king after his brother Edward VIII abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson. His coronation was the...
1926
Józef Piłsudski led a military coup in Poland and established an authoritarian government
The Polish military hero marched on Warsaw with loyal troops and seized power after three days of fighting. He had grown frustrated with the fractious...
1910
Glacier National Park was established in Montana
The park encompasses over 1 million acres of pristine wilderness along the Canadian border. It was created after years of lobbying by conservationists...
1890
The Louisiana legislature officially adopted 'Home Sweet Home' as the state song
Louisiana became one of the first states to designate an official song, though they chose a tune written by a New Yorker about an Englishman's cottage...
1820
Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy, the city she was named after
Her wealthy British parents were on an extended European tour when she arrived. She would revolutionize nursing during the Crimean War and become know...
1780
Charleston, South Carolina fell to British forces in the largest American surrender of the Revolutionary War
MajorOver 5,000 Continental Army soldiers were captured when the city surrendered after a six-week siege. It was the worst American defeat of the war until...
1551
The National University of San Marcos was founded in Lima, Peru, becoming the oldest continuously operating university in the Americas
Established by royal decree, the university predates Harvard by 85 years. It began as a Dominican seminary before expanding into a full university. To...