June 12th Through History

Explanation: Nelson Mandela was imprisoned from 1964 to 1990, that is, 27 years. He spent most of that period on the prison island of Robben Island, in a cell of roughly 2 square metres. His release on 11 February 1990 was a major symbolic moment for the struggle against apartheid.

Explanation: The Philippines declared independence from Spain in 1898, after more than 300 years of Spanish colonisation. However, this independence was short-lived: at the end of the Spanish-American War that same year, the Philippines were ceded to the United States by the Treaty of Paris, for the sum of 20 million dollars.

Explanation: Helsinki, today the capital of Finland, was founded in 1550 by the Swedish king Gustav I Vasa under the name "Helsingfors". The city saw modest growth for two centuries before becoming the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812, under Russian rule.

Explanation: The Loving v. Virginia ruling struck down the anti-miscegenation laws still in force in 16 American states, including Virginia. Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple, had been arrested in 1958 in their bedroom. This unanimous decision is seen as a major turning point in the civil rights movement in the United States.

Explanation: The 40-hour working week law, voted on 12 June 1936, was one of the great social victories of the Popular Front. It came alongside other important measures such as the two weeks of paid leave and the recognition of collective bargaining agreements. These gains were the result of a massive strike movement that had been paralysing France since May 1936.

Explanation: Australia passed a law in 1902 granting women the right to vote at the federal level, making the country one of the first in the world to recognise this right. However, this law excluded Indigenous women, who did not obtain the right until 1962. New Zealand had been the pioneer in 1893, the first nation to grant women the vote.

Explanation: The draisine, invented by Karl von Drais, was propelled by pushing along the ground with the feet, with no pedals. It was shown to the public for the first time on 12 June 1817 in Mannheim, Germany. Karl Drais had partly invented it because of the horse shortage that followed the volcanic winter of 1816, caused by the eruption of Tambora.

Explanation: Johanna Spyri is the author of Heidi, a novel published in 1881 telling the story of a young orphan girl living in the Swiss Alps with her grandfather. The book has been translated into more than 50 languages and adapted many times for film and television, including the famous 1974 Japanese animated series directed by Isao Takahata.

Explanation: The Boeing 777, nicknamed "Triple Seven", made its first flight on 12 June 1994. Powered by just two engines despite its imposing size, it was the first commercial aircraft designed entirely on computer (CAD). It is still in production today in several versions, including the 777X, with its folding wings.

Explanation: Egon Schiele was an Austrian painter and draughtsman, a major figure of Viennese expressionism. His work, characterised by contorted human figures and raw depictions of sexuality, even earned him a brief stint in prison in 1912. He died very young, at 28, carried off by the Spanish flu in 1918, three days after his pregnant wife.