April of 2012, will be the 100th anniversary of the launch and sinking of the RMS Titanic.  In 2012, Louisiana will celebrate its bi-centennial, while New Mexico and Arizona will mark their centennial. This upcoming Leap year will also note the 50th year since the Cuban Missile Crisis and America’s successful efforts to have a human orbit Earth. In addition to the October crisis in Cuba, 1962, is notable for the multiple conflicts between Russia and the United States that almost put the planet into a nuclear holocaust. Here are those, and other significant 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 500 and 800 year milestones coming in 2012.

JANUARY

  1  – The Republic of China was established (1912) as were the Navy Seals (1962)

  3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro (1962)

  6 – New Mexico became the 47th State (1912)

10 – Avalanche in Peru kills almost 4,000 (1962)

23 – Estimated 7.0-7.8 earthquake strikes near New Madrid, Missouri (1912 – 3rd powerful earthquake in 6 weeks)

26 – Ranger 3 (Moon Probe) is launched (1962)

28 – Ranger 3 misses Moon by over 22,000 miles (1962)

31 – Asteroid 433 Eros will pass near Earth, well 16.6 million miles (2012)

FEBRUARY

  3 – The United States begins an embargo on Cuba (1962)

  6 – The Diamond Jubilee of the crowning of Elizabeth II (1952)

  7 – An estimated 7.4 to 8.0 earthquake strikes New Madrid, Missouri (1912-4th powerful earthquake in 2 months)

  8 – Winter Olympics are held in France (1992) and Utah (2002)

10 – A Russian spy is exchanged for Francis Gary Powers (1962 – CIA U-2 spy plane pilot shot down over Russia)

11 – British Airways is privatized (1987)

14 – Arizona becomes 48th State (1912)

20 – John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth (1962)

MARCH

  1 – 1st KMart opens (1962) and the United States invades Afghanistan (2002)

12 – Girl Scouts of America founded (1912)

24 – Disney and France sign contracts to build Disneyland Paris (1987)

26 – 7.7 earthquake destroys Caracas, Venezuela (1812)

27 – Tokyo, Japan gives Washington, D.C. 3,000 cherry trees (1912)

30 – Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother died at 101 years old (2002)

APRIL

  6 – New York slave revolt kills nine white people (1712 – 21 African-Americans were arrested, found guilty, and executed)

10 – The unchristened RMS Titanic sets sail on maiden voyage (1912) and 1st major league baseball game played at Dodger Stadium (1962)

14- RMS Titanic strikes iceberg (1912)

15 – RMS Titanic sinks killing 1,514 people (1912)

17 – US & South Korea to split command of forces in that country (2012)

20 – Baseball’s Fenway Park and Tiger Stadium open (1912)

23 – Ranger 4 (Moon probe) is launched (1962)

26 – Ranger 4, with failed electronics, crashes into the Moon (1962)

30 – Louisiana is admitted as 18th State (1812)

MAY

  1 – 1st Target store opens (1962)

12 – World Expo opens in South Korea (2012)

20 – Annular Eclipse across western United States (2012)

22 – An in-flight bomb brings down Continental Airlines Flight #11 (1962)

24 – Scott Carpenter is the 2nd American to orbit Earth (1962)

26 – Planetary probe Odyssey finds evidence of significant water on Mars (2002)

28 – 19 year-old West German lands plane in Red Square (1987)

JUNE

  3 – Air France 007 crash kills 130 (1962)

  5 – Venus transits the Sun. The next transit will not be for over 100 years (2012)

11 – 3 escape from Alcatraz (1962)

12 – President Reagan, in Berlin, tells Gorbachev to “tear down this wall!” (1987) and Napoleon invades Russia (1812)

18 – War of 1812 (US and Britain) begins (1812)

19 – Supreme Court rules that Creationism can’t be required teaching in schools  (1987)

22 – 2nd Air France flight in June kills 113 (1962)

24 – France (Napoleon) invades Russia (1812)

25 – Supreme Court rules that mandatory prayers in school are illegal (1962)

28 – Iraq uses mustard gas on its own people (1987)

JULY

  2 – 1st WalMart opens (1962)

10 – The Great Fire of 1212 burns London and the structures on the London Bridge (1212)

11 – World population estimated at 5 billion people (1987)

17 – Last US atmospheric nuclear test (1962 – Nevada)

21 – WorldCom (MCI) files for bankruptcy (2002)

22 – Mariner 1, a probe intended to go to Venus, was destroyed soon after launch (1962)

27 – London opens its 3rd Summer Olympic Games (2012)

AUGUST

  4 – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rescinds the Fairness Doctrine that required balanced news reporting (1987)

  5 – Marilyn Monroe dies (1962)

27 – Mariner 2, a probe to Venus, is launched (1962)

SEPTEMBER

  2 – USSR agrees to send arms to Cuba (1962)

10 – Switzerland joins United Nations (2002)

11 – USSR warns that any attack on Cuba or on Soviet ships sailing to Cuba would be an act of war (1962)

12 – Kennedy gives, “…we choose to go to the Moon…” speech at Rice University (1962)

27 – Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring is released (1962)

OCTOBER

  1 – 1st African American student is admitted to the University of Mississippi…escorted by Federal Marshalls (1962) and Johnny Carson joins the Tonight Show (1962)

  2 – Congress gives President George W. Bush authorization to go to war (2002)

  5 – 1st Beatles single is released (1962)

11 – 2nd Vatican Council begins ((1962)

14 – Former President Theodore Roosevelt shot, but not seriously injured, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1912) and a U-2 flight is made over Cuba (1962)

15 – Based on U-2 photos, the United States confirms that Soviet offensive missiles are being built in Cuba (1962)

19 – United States forces put on High Alert (1962) and Black Monday (1987)

22 – John F. Kennedy gives a television address regarding the situation in Cuba (1962)

26 – The United States goes to DEFCON 2 (1962)

28 – After secret talks, Russia backs down and the Cuba Missile Crisis deescalates (1962)

NOVEMBER

  1 – 1st exhibit of the finished Sistine Chapel (1512 – Michelangelo’s work)

  3 – First use of the term ‘personal computer’ in the media (1962)

  5 – Republicans gains control of House, Senate, and Executive Branch (2002)

13 – Iraq agrees to United Nations demand to disarm (2002)

17 – Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. is opened (1962) and Tsunami hits Alaska (1987)

25 – Philippines hit with a Category 5 hurricane (1987) and the Homeland Security Act is signed into law (2002)

29 – Britain and France agree to jointly build the Concorde airplane (1962)

DECEMBER

  7 – Iraq complies with United Nations requirement for filing a list of weapons (2002)

  8 – New York City newspapers go on strike (1962)

  9 – Windows 2.0 released by Microsoft (1987) and United Airlines declares bankruptcy (2002)

12 – 12/12/12 at 12:12:12 PM

14 – Mariner 2 flies by Venus and sends back first data on the planet (1962)

27 – Spain passes the ‘Leyes de Burgos‘ (Laws of Burgos) governing the Spanish treatment of the native people of the Americas (1512)

This article first published as
Dates of Historical Note in 2012

on Technorati.com