Today's Highlight in History:
On April 12, 1861, the American Civil War began as Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.
On this date:
In 1606, England adopted as its flag the original version of the Union Jack¹.

In 1862, Union volunteers led by James J. Andrews stole a Confederate train near Marietta, Georgia, but were later caught. (This episode inspired the Buster Keaton comedy "The General.")

In 1934, "Tender Is the Night," by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was first published.

In 1945, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died of a cerebral² hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, at age 63; he was succeeded by Vice³ President Harry⁴ S. Truman.

In 1955, the Salk vaccine⁵ against polio was declared safe and effective.

In 1961, Soviet⁶ cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to fly in space, orbiting the earth once before making a safe landing.

In 1981, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape⁷ Canaveral on its first test flight.

In 1989, radical⁸ activist⁹ Abbie Hoffman was found dead at his home in New Hope, Pennsylvania, at age 52.

In 1989, former middleweight boxing champion Sugar Ray Robinson died in Culver City, California, at age 67.

In 1992, Euro Disneyland opened in France.

Ten years ago: In its first meeting, East Germany's first democratically elected parliament acknowledged responsibility for the Nazi¹⁰ Holocaust¹¹, and asked the forgiveness of Jews and others who had suffered.

Five years ago: In a move that stunned¹² the business world, billionaire Kirk Kerkorian and former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca made an unsolicited $22.8 billion bid to buy the nation's third largest automaker; Chrysler responded that it wasn't for sale.

One year ago: US District Judge Susan Webber Wright cited President Clinton for contempt of court, concluding that the president had lied about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky in a deposition¹³ in the Paula Jones case. A jury in Little Rock, Arkansas, acquitted¹⁴ Susan McDougal of obstructing¹⁵ Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's Whitewater inquiry¹⁶ and deadlocked¹⁷ on two other charges, causing a mistrial.