Lost Penny Day
Lost Penny Day is celebrated on February 12th to acknowledge the humble penny and raise awareness of its value, even though it’s often overlooked. The day encourages people to think about the impact small amounts of money can have over time and also highlights the debate about the relevance of the penny in today’s economy.
Darwin Day
Darwin Day is celebrated on February 12th to honor the birth of Charles Darwin in 1809. Darwin was a naturalist and biologist best known for his groundbreaking work on the theory of evolution by natural selection, which fundamentally changed how we understand life on Earth.
Here are some significant historical events that happened on February 12th throughout history:
Historical Events
1554 – Lady Jane Grey is executed
Lady Jane Grey, the nine-day queen of England, was executed for treason after being overthrown by Mary I.
1809 – Birth of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky.
1812 – The Great Russian Army retreats from Napoleon’s invasion
Napoleon Bonaparte’s French forces began their retreat from Moscow, marking the start of the Russian winter campaign that would devastate his army.
1912 – China’s Qing Dynasty ends
The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Puyi, abdicated the throne, leading to the founding of the Republic of China.
1924 – The first Winter Olympics in the U.S.
The 1924 Winter Olympics opened in Chamonix, France, and were the first Winter Games to be held in the U.S.
1961 – The UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld dies in a plane crash
Dag Hammarskjöld, the UN Secretary-General, died in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
1993 – The Intel Corporation ships its first Pentium processor
The Pentium microprocessor was released by Intel, revolutionizing personal computing and powering the growth of the digital era.
1999 – President Bill Clinton is acquitted
After the impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate, President Bill Clinton was acquitted of charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
2013 – Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation
Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign from the papacy, citing health reasons.
Notable Birthdays
1809 – Charles Darwin – English naturalist known for the theory of evolution.
1845 – Frederick Douglass – Former enslaved African American, abolitionist, and writer.
1901 – Lorne Greene – Canadian actor best known for Bonanza.
1931 – Michael Bloomberg – American businessman, philanthropist, and former mayor of New York City.
1935 – Thomas Edison – American inventor of the light bulb.
1948 – Judy Blume – American author known for Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Notable Deaths
1961 – Dag Hammarskjöld – UN Secretary-General who died in a plane crash during a peace mission in Africa.
1990 – Salvador Dalí – Spanish surrealist artist famous for works like The Persistence of Memory.
2011 – Elizabeth Taylor – British-American actress and cultural icon, known for her roles in Cleopatra and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
