1. In 1622, an attack known as the "Indian Massacre of 1622" occurred on March 12, where Powhatan Indian warriors killed over 300 colonists in Virginia.

2. In 1773, future American President James Madison was born in Port Conway, Virginia on March 12. He would go on to play a significant role in the drafting of the United States Constitution.

3. In 1839, the Virginia Military Institute was founded on March 12 in Lexington, Virginia. The school has produced a number of notable military leaders and politicians over the years.

4. In 1862, the Battle of Kernstown II took place in Winchester, Virginia on March 12. The Confederate victory was short-lived, as Union forces regained control of the area just a few days later.

5. In 1933, the first Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp in Virginia opened on March 12 in Shenandoah National Park. The CCC was a New Deal program designed to provide employment to young men during the Great Depression, and was instrumental in the development of many state and national parks.