May 12th is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 233 days remaining until the end of the year.
Holidays and observances
- International Nurses Day
- Mother’s Day (in most countries)
- National Limerick Day
- National School Nurse Day (United States)
- National Women’s Health Week (United States)
- National Youth Suicide Prevention Month (United States)
Events in history
- 1776: The Continental Congress adopts the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which becomes the basis for the Bill of Rights.
- 1812: Russia and Sweden sign the Treaty of Åbo, ending the Finnish War.
- 1864: The Confederate States of America is defeated in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.
- 1880: Thomas Edison patents the electric light bulb.
- 1915: The RMS Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat, killing 1,198 people.
- 1941: The United States Congress passes the Lend-Lease Act, providing aid to Allied countries during World War II.
- 1945: The Allies accept Germany’s unconditional surrender, ending World War II in Europe.
- 1960: The United States launches the U-2 spy plane, which is later shot down over the Soviet Union.
- 1970: The Apollo 13 mission is launched.
- 1998: The World Health Organization declares the eradication of smallpox.
Famous birthdays
- 1670: August Hermann Francke, German theologian and philanthropist (d. 1727)
- 1793: William Lloyd Garrison, American abolitionist (d. 1879)
- 1820: Florence Nightingale, British nurse and social reformer (d. 1910)
- 1867: Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States (d. 1924)
- 1904: Duke Ellington, American jazz musician (d. 1974)
- 1910: Doris Day, American actress and singer (d. 2019)
- 1921: Ingrid Bergman, Swedish actress (d. 1982)
- 1933: Roy Orbison, American singer-songwriter (d. 1988)
- 1940: Terry Bradshaw, American football player and broadcaster
- 1955: David Helfgott, Australian pianist
Famous deaths
- 1703: Charles Perrault, French author (b. 1628)
- 1806: William Pitt the Younger, British Prime Minister (b. 1759)
- 1910: Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom (b. 1841)
- 1935: Pierre Curie, French physicist and Nobel laureate (b. 1859)
- 1942: Corrie ten Boom, Dutch Christian who helped hide Jews during the Holocaust (b. 1892)
- 1957: Erich von Stroheim, Austrian-American actor and director (b. 1885)
- 1960: Otto Frank, Dutch businessman and father of Anne Frank (b. 1889)
- 1976: Saul Bellow, American novelist and Nobel laureate (b. 1915)
- 1994: Jackie Robinson, American baseball player who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball (b. 1919)
- 2011: Osama bin Laden, terrorist leader of al-Qaeda (b. 1957)
Did you know?
- Mother’s Day was first celebrated in the United States in 1908.
- The first electric light bulb lasted for only 13 hours.
- The RMS Lusitania was sunk in just 18 minutes.
- The Apollo 13 mission was the first to return humans to the Moon after the Apollo 11 mission.
- The World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated in 1980, making it the first disease to be completely eradicated.
Table: U.S. Presidents born in May
| President | Birth date |
|---|---|
| James Monroe | May 28, 1758 |
| Andrew Jackson | March 15, 1767 |
| Millard Fillmore | January 7, 1800 |
| Abraham Lincoln | February 12, 1809 |
| Chester A. Arthur | October 5, 1829 |
| Woodrow Wilson | December 28, 1856 |
| John F. Kennedy | May 29, 1917 |
Table: Famous people born on May 12th
| Name | Occupation | Birth year |
|---|---|---|
| Florence Nightingale | Nurse and social reformer | 1820 |
| Woodrow Wilson | 28th President of the United States | 1856 |
| Doris Day | Actress and singer | 1921 |
| Roy Orbison | Singer-songwriter | 1933 |
| Terry Bradshaw | Football player and broadcaster | 1940 |
| David Helfgott | Pianist | 1955 |
Table: Events in history that occurred on May 12th
| Event | Year |
|---|---|
| Continental Congress adopts the Virginia Declaration of Rights | 1776 |
| Russia and Sweden sign the Treaty of Åbo | 1812 |
| Confederate States of America is defeated in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House | 1864 |
| Thomas Edison patents the electric light bulb | 1880 |
| RMS Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat | 1915 |
| United States Congress passes the Lend-Lease Act | 1941 |
| Allies accept Germany’s unconditional surrender | 1945 |
| United States launches the U-2 spy plane | 1960 |
| Apollo 13 mission is launched | 1970 |
| World Health Organization declares the eradication of smallpox | 1998 |
Table: Holidays and observances that occur on May 12th
| Holiday or observance | Country |
|---|---|
| International Nurses Day | Worldwide |
| Mother’s Day | Most countries |
| National Limerick Day | United States |
| National School Nurse Day | United States |
| National Women’s Health Week | United States |
| National Youth Suicide Prevention Month | United States |
FAQs
Q: When is Mother’s Day celebrated in most countries?
A: Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May in most countries.
Q: What is the significance of the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
A: The Virginia Declaration of Rights is a document that sets forth the basic rights of individuals and is considered to be the basis for the Bill of Rights.
Q: What event occurred on May 12, 1945?
A: On May 12, 1945, the Allies accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender, effectively ending World War II in Europe.
Q: What famous inventor patented the electric light bulb on May 12th?
A: Thomas Edison patented the electric light bulb on May 12, 1880.
Q: What famous pianist was born on May 12th?
A: David Helfgott, a famous pianist, was born on May 12, 1955.
Q: What famous president was born on May 12th?
A: Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, was born on May 12, 1856.
Q: What is the significance of May 12th for nurses?
A: May 12th is International Nurses Day, a day to recognize and celebrate the contributions of nurses around the world.
Q: What is the purpose of National Women’s Health Week?
A: National Women’s Health Week is a week-long event aimed at raising awareness about women’s health issues and promoting healthy behaviors.
