12 July It Happened Today

1536  Death of Dutch Renaissance writer Desiderius Erasmus.

1705  Death of English anti-Catholic conspirator Titus Oates.

1730  Birth of English industrialist Josiah Wedgwood, famous for his pottery.

1854  Birth of George Eastman, American inventor of the Kodak camera.

1920  The Panama Canal is officially opened.

1937  Birth of American entertainer Bill Cosby.

1982  Hostilities over the Falkland Islands between Argentina and Great Britain officially end.