It turns out that April 12th is a really big day in history, much bigger than most any other normal day.
For example, the Civil Was started on this day when Fort Sumter was fired upon in 1861.
Franklin Roosevelt died on this day in 1945.
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space when he makes an orbit of the Earth in 1961, 50 years ago today.
And interestingly enough on this same day 30 years ago the launch of the first Space Shuttle took place when Columbia made it maiden flight in 1981.
But perhaps the most significant event to ever take place on an April 12th occurred in 1954 when Bill Haley and The Comets recorded "(We're gonna) Rock Around the Clock Tonight", the song whose title gave name to the music revolution which swept America and eventually the world in the 50's and 60's and which is still influencing music today.
Anyway, for more information on these and other events which took place on April 12th, go to:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history
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