Today In History [12 February, 2015]

A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.

February 12

1294           Kublai Khan, the conqueror of Asia, dies at the age of 80.
1554           Lady Jane Grey, the Queen of England for thirteen days, is beheaded on Tower Hill. She was barely 17 years old.
1709           Alexander Selkirk, the Scottish seaman whose adventures inspired the creation of Daniel Dafoe's Robinson Crusoe, is taken off Juan Fernandez Island after more than four years of living there alone.
1793           The first fugitive slave law, requiring the return of escaped slaves, is passed.
1818           Chile gains independence from Spain.
1836           Mexican General Santa Anna crosses the Rio Grande en route to the Alamo.
1909           The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is formed.
1912           China becomes a republic following the overthrow of the Manchu dynasty.
1921           Winston Churchill of London is appointed colonial secretary.
1924           George Gershwin's groundbreaking symphonic jazz composition Rhapsody in Blue premieres with Gershwin himself playing the piano with Paul Whiteman's orchestra.
1929           Charles Lindbergh announces his engagement to Anne Morrow.
1931           Japan makes its first television broadcast–a baseball game.
1935           The Macon, the last U.S. Navy dirigible, crashes off the coast of California, killing two people.
1938           Japan refuses to reveal naval data requested by the U.S. and Britain.
1940           The Soviet Union signs a trade treaty with Germany to aid against the British blockade.
1944           Wendell Wilkie enters the American presidential race against Franklin D. Roosevelt.
1949           Moslem Brotherhood chief Hassan el Banna is shot to death in Cairo.
1953           The Soviets break off diplomatic relations with Israel after the bombing of Soviet legation.
1966           The South Vietnamese win two big battles in the Mekong Delta.
1972           Senator Edward Kennedy advocates amnesty for Vietnam draft resisters.
1974           The Symbionese Liberation Army asks the Hearst family for $230 million in food for the poor.
1980           The Lake Placid Winter Olympics open in New York.
1987           A Court in Texas upholds $8.5 billion of a fine imposed on Texaco for the illegal takeover of Getty Oil.
1999           The U.S. Senate fails to pass two articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton. He had been accused of perjury and obstruction of justice by the House of Representatives.

Born on February 12
1768           Francis II, the last Holy Roman Emperor
1775           Louisa Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams
1809           Charles Darwin, naturalist and influential theorist of evolution (On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection).
1809           Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President of the United State (1861-1865).
1828           George Meredith, English poet and novelist.
1857           Eugene Atget, French photographer, took over 10,000 photographs documenting Paris.
1874           Auguste Perret, French architect, pioneer in designs of reinforced concrete buildings.
1880           John L. Lewis, American labor leader.
1893           Omar Bradley, U.S. army general during World War II.