Explore the major historical events, famous births, and notable deaths that occurred in the year 1812. This year saw 38 significant events. 5 notable figures were born.
After a ten-day siege, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, orders British soldiers of the Light and 3rd Divisions to storm Ciudad Rodrigo during the Peninsular War
Earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale destroys 90% of Caracas, Venezuela, and kills an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people
British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the House of Commons, London. Ironically, descendants of both later stand for the same seat in Parliament at the same time, but neither wins
1812 (MDCCCXII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar, the 1812th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD)...
Napoleon Bonaparte's Grand Armée numbering half a million begin their invasion of Russia by crossing the Nieman River
Battle of Borodino: Napoleon Bonaparte wins a Pyrrhic victory against Russian General Mikhail Kutuzov in the most ferocious battle of the Napoleonic era; 70,000 are killed
Revolutionary leader Jose de San Martin (33) weds María de los Remedios de Escalada at Buenos Aires Cathedral in Argentina
The United States has been attacked several times throughout its history, including attacks on its states and territories, embassies and consulates, and its military.
Grimms' Fairy Tales (German: Grimms Märchen), originally known as the Children's and Household Tales, is a German collection of fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, first published...
A steamboat is a boat that is propelled primarily by steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels.
7.8 earthquake shakes New Madrid, Missouri
8.2 earthquake shakes New Madrid, Missouri
Elbridge Thomas Gerry (July 17 [O.S. July 6] 1744– November 23, 1814) was an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat who, as a member of the Second Continental Congress, signed...
Citizenship granted to Prussian Jews
The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States declared war on Britain on 18 June 1812.
1st Russian settlement in California at Russian River
The first Spanish constitution is enacted, one of the earliest constitutions ever promulgated
Badajoz is the capital of the province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana.
The history of the area that is now the U.S. state of Louisiana, can be traced back thousands of years to when it was occupied by indigenous peoples.
US passes first foreign aid bill, authorizing up to $50,000 to assist victims of the Caracas, Venezuela earthquake on March 26
The Louisiana Territory, officially the Territory of Louisiana, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1805, until June 4, 1812, when it was renamed...
The world's first book club, The Roxburghe Club, is founded before the infamous sale of the Duke of Roxburghe's library at a dinner hosted by the 2nd Earl of Spencer at St Albans Tavern, London [1]
A 1471 printed copy of Boccaccio's Decameron sells in England for £2,260 - then the highest price for a book, during the infamous sale of the library of the Duke of Roxburghe
US invades Canada (Detroit frontier)
1812 (MDCCCXII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar, the 1812th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD)...
Battle of Mogilev: first significant fighting during Napoleon's invasion of Russia results in minor French victory
Rare tornado hits Westchester County, New York
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt is the first European to rediscover the Nabataean city of Petra in modern-day Jordan
The world's first factory to preserve food in tinned iron containers (Donkin, Hall, and Gamble) opens in London, England, to supply food to the Royal Navy
The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major engagement of the War of 1812.
Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, 550 yards (500 m) north-west of Paddington Basin...
The capture of HMS Macedonian was a naval action fought near Madeira on 25 October 1812 between the heavy frigate USS United States, commanded by Stephen Decatur, and the frigate HMS Macedonian,...
The Battle of Krasnoi (at Krasny or Krasnoe) unfolded from 15 to 18 November 1812 marking a critical episode in Napoleon's arduous retreat from Moscow.
The Mexican War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de México, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from...
Peter Gaillard of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, patents a horse-drawn mower
1st newspaper on Curacao (Curacao Gazette & Commercial Advertiser)
The USS Constitution under the command of Captain William Bainbridge, captures the HMS Java off the coast of Brazil after a three hour battle
Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic, known for english writer and social critic, was born on 1812-02-07.
Alexander H. Stephens is born
Charles Lewis Tiffany, American businessman and jeweller, known for american businessman and jeweller, was born on 1812-02-15.
Henry Wilson is born
Robert Browning, English poet and playwright, known for english poet and playwright, was born on 1812-05-07.
After a ten-day siege, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, orders British soldiers of the Light and 3rd Divisions to storm Ciudad Rodrigo during the Peninsular War
Earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale destroys 90% of Caracas, Venezuela, and kills an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people
British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the House of Commons, London. Ironically, descendants of both later stand for the same seat in Parliament at the same time, but neither wins
1812 (MDCCCXII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar, the 1812th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD)...
Napoleon Bonaparte's Grand Armée numbering half a million begin their invasion of Russia by crossing the Nieman River
Battle of Borodino: Napoleon Bonaparte wins a Pyrrhic victory against Russian General Mikhail Kutuzov in the most ferocious battle of the Napoleonic era; 70,000 are killed
Revolutionary leader Jose de San Martin (33) weds María de los Remedios de Escalada at Buenos Aires Cathedral in Argentina
The United States has been attacked several times throughout its history, including attacks on its states and territories, embassies and consulates, and its military.
Grimms' Fairy Tales (German: Grimms Märchen), originally known as the Children's and Household Tales, is a German collection of fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, first published...
A steamboat is a boat that is propelled primarily by steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels.
7.8 earthquake shakes New Madrid, Missouri
8.2 earthquake shakes New Madrid, Missouri
Elbridge Thomas Gerry (July 17 [O.S. July 6] 1744– November 23, 1814) was an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat who, as a member of the Second Continental Congress, signed...
Citizenship granted to Prussian Jews
The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States declared war on Britain on 18 June 1812.
1st Russian settlement in California at Russian River
The first Spanish constitution is enacted, one of the earliest constitutions ever promulgated
Badajoz is the capital of the province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana.
The history of the area that is now the U.S. state of Louisiana, can be traced back thousands of years to when it was occupied by indigenous peoples.
US passes first foreign aid bill, authorizing up to $50,000 to assist victims of the Caracas, Venezuela earthquake on March 26
The Louisiana Territory, officially the Territory of Louisiana, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1805, until June 4, 1812, when it was renamed...
The world's first book club, The Roxburghe Club, is founded before the infamous sale of the Duke of Roxburghe's library at a dinner hosted by the 2nd Earl of Spencer at St Albans Tavern, London [1]
A 1471 printed copy of Boccaccio's Decameron sells in England for £2,260 - then the highest price for a book, during the infamous sale of the library of the Duke of Roxburghe
US invades Canada (Detroit frontier)
1812 (MDCCCXII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar, the 1812th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD)...
Battle of Mogilev: first significant fighting during Napoleon's invasion of Russia results in minor French victory
Rare tornado hits Westchester County, New York
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt is the first European to rediscover the Nabataean city of Petra in modern-day Jordan
The world's first factory to preserve food in tinned iron containers (Donkin, Hall, and Gamble) opens in London, England, to supply food to the Royal Navy
The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major engagement of the War of 1812.
Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, 550 yards (500 m) north-west of Paddington Basin...
The capture of HMS Macedonian was a naval action fought near Madeira on 25 October 1812 between the heavy frigate USS United States, commanded by Stephen Decatur, and the frigate HMS Macedonian,...
The Battle of Krasnoi (at Krasny or Krasnoe) unfolded from 15 to 18 November 1812 marking a critical episode in Napoleon's arduous retreat from Moscow.
The Mexican War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de México, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from...
Peter Gaillard of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, patents a horse-drawn mower
1st newspaper on Curacao (Curacao Gazette & Commercial Advertiser)
The USS Constitution under the command of Captain William Bainbridge, captures the HMS Java off the coast of Brazil after a three hour battle
Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic, known for english writer and social critic, was born on 1812-02-07.
Alexander H. Stephens is born
Charles Lewis Tiffany, American businessman and jeweller, known for american businessman and jeweller, was born on 1812-02-15.
Henry Wilson is born
Robert Browning, English poet and playwright, known for english poet and playwright, was born on 1812-05-07.