What is October 12?
{{calendar}} {{day}} == Events == === Up to 1900 === * [[539 BC]] &ndash; The [[army]] of [[Cyrus the Great]] of [[Persia]] takes [[Babylon]]. * [[1216]] &ndash; King [[John of England]] loses his own crown jewels in [[The Wash]]. * [[1492]] &ndash; In his first voyage, [[Christopher Columbus]] lands in the present-day [[Bahamas]], in the belief that he'd reached East [[Asia]]. * [[1654]] &ndash; An [[explosion]] devastates the [[city]] of [[Delft]], [[Netherlands]], killing over 100 people. * [[1692]] &ndash; The [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]] [[Witch]] [[Trial]]s are ended by a [[letter]] from [[Massachusetts]] [[Governor]] [[William Phips]]. * [[1748]] &ndash; [[War of Jenkins' Ear]]: [[Battle of Havana]] between British and Spanish [[Navy|naval]] forces. * [[1773]] &ndash; The [[United States]]' first [[insane asylum]] opens in [[Virginia]]. * [[1792]] &ndash; First [[United States|American]] celebration of [[Columbus Day]], in [[New York City]]. * [[1799]] &ndash; [[Jeanne Genevieve Labrosse]] becomes the first [[woman]] to jump from a [[balloon]] with a [[parachute]]. * [[1810]] &ndash; The tradition of the [[Munich]] [[Oktoberfest]] begins. * [[1822]] &ndash; [[Pedro I of Brazil]] is proclaimed [[Emperor]]. * [[1823]] &ndash; [[Charles Macintosh]], of [[Scotland]], sells the first [[rain]]coat. * [[1860]] &ndash; The previously Introduced of the so-called [[Section 377|Section 377 of the British Indian penal code (Law)]] was enacted in '''[[British India]]''' respectively. * [[1871]] &ndash; The Introduction of the so-called [[Criminal Tribes Act]] was enacted in '''[[British India]]''' respectively. * [[1892]] &ndash; The [[Pledge of Allegiance]] is first recited by [[student]]s in many public [[school]]s. * [[1899]] &ndash; First fighting of the [[Second Boer War]]. === 1901 &ndash; 2000 === * [[1901]] &ndash; The 'Executive Mansion' is renamed the [[White House]] by US [[President]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]]. * [[1902]] &ndash; The [[Austria national football team]] plays its first game, defeating the [[