1. On April 12, 1861, the Civil War begins, following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Nevada was not yet a state at the time, but many Nevadans would go on to fight on both sides of the conflict.

2. On April 12, 1905, the opening of the Stewart Indian School near Carson City marked the beginning of a new era in Native American education. The school was named for Senator William Stewart, who had been instrumental in securing funding for it.

3. On April 12, 1912, the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean, resulting in the loss of over 1,500 lives. Although no Nevadans were on board, the tragedy affected people all over the world and led to changes in maritime safety regulations.

4. On April 12, 1935, the Hoover Dam was completed after five years of construction. The dam, which straddles the border between Nevada and Arizona, provides electricity for millions of people in the Southwest and has become a major tourist attraction.

5. On April 12, 1982, the Nevada State Legislature passed a bill granting divorce to couples after just six weeks of residency in the state. This led to a boom in the state's divorce industry, earning it the nickname "Divorce Capital of the World." The law has since been changed, but Nevada still has relatively lenient divorce requirements compared to other states.