This Day In History : March 12

1968 Mauritius

Mauritius Gains Independence from Britain

On March 12, 1968, Mauritius achieved independence from British rule. This marked the end of colonial control and the beginning of a new era for the island nation. The transition was part of a broader movement of decolonization across Africa and the Indian Ocean region. Mauritius’ independence laid the foundation for its development as a sovereign state.

Also on This Day in History March 12

Discover what happened on March 12 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, March 12
  • 1925 Leo Esaki

    Japanese physicist who shared (with Ivar Giaever and Brian Josephson) the Nobel Prize in Physics (1973) in recognition of his pioneering work on electron tunneling in solids.

  • 1863 Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky

    Russian geochemist and mineralogist who was a founder of the specialist sciences of geochemistry and biogeochemistry.

  • 1851 Charles Chamberland

    Charles Edouard Chamberland was a French bacteriologist who developed the first pressure steam sterilizer, called Chamberland’s autoclave.

  • 1831 Clement Studebaker

    American manufacturer who founded a family firm that became the world's largest producer of horse-drawn vehicles and a leader in automobile manufacturing.

  • 1790 John Frederic Daniell

    British chemist and meteorologist who invented the Daniell cell, which was a great improvement over the voltaic cell used in the early days of battery development.

Deaths on This Day, March 12
  • 1914 George Westinghouse

    American engineer, inventor and industrialist who founded his own company to manufacturer his invention, the air brake.

  • 1898 Johann Jakob Balmer

    Swiss mathematician and physicist who discovered a formula basic to the development of atomic theory.

  • 1924 Count Hilaire Chardonnet

    French chemist and industrialist who first developed rayon, the first commonly used artificial fibre.

  • 1929 Asa Griggs Candler

    American manufacturer who expanded the marketing of the Coca-Cola soft drink created (1886) by pharmacist John "Doc" Pemberton who made the syrup for use in his drugstore fountain drinks.

  • 1942 William Bragg

    British scientist in solid-state physics who was a joint winner (with his son Sir Lawrence Bragg) of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915 for research on the determination of crystal structures.

1923

Sound on film

In 1923, the Phonofilm, the first motion picture with a sound-on-film track was demonstrated at a press conference.
1755

U.S. steam engine

In 1755, a steam engine was first reported used in America, at a copper mine in New Barbados Neck (now North Arlington), NJ.
2008

Hulu Launches for Public Access

On March 12, 2008, Hulu launches as a streaming service available to the public in the United States. The platform offers a wide variety of TV shows, movies, and original content, changing how viewers access and enjoy entertainment online.
1918

Moscow becomes the capital of Russia again

On March 12, 1918, Moscow is officially reinstated as the capital of Russia, replacing Petrograd. This decision, made by the Soviet government, marks a significant shift in the country's political landscape. Moscow's status as the capital reflects its central role in the newly established Soviet state.
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