When did the first human orbit the earth?

The first human to orbit the Earth was Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, who completed his historic flight on April 12, 1961. Gagarin orbited the Earth once aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft, making a significant milestone in space exploration. His successful mission lasted approximately 108 minutes, marking a pivotal moment in the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union.