2 Minute History February 12th

February 12th is a significant date in world history, marked by notable events across various fields. It is the birthday of both Abraham Lincoln (1809), the 16th President of the United States, and Charles Darwin (1809), the renowned naturalist known for his theory of evolution. On this day in 1804, Richard Trevithick demonstrated the first successful steam-powered locomotive, heralding the age of rail transport. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded on February 12, 1909, becoming a pivotal organization in the fight for civil rights. Additionally, in 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant, revolutionary in the field of medicine. Finally, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed on Mars on February 12, 2004, contributing invaluable data about the planet. This date encapsulates a diverse array of events that have significantly shaped history.