May 5th this day in history video clips

Today May 5th 2009 this day in history Read more below to view events, deaths, births, Holidays observances and video clips. Last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009

Events
553 – The Second Council of Constantinople begins.
1215 – Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John of England. This was part of a chain of events leading to the Magna Carta signing.
1260 – Kublai Khan becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire.
1494 – Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Jamaica and claims it for Spain.
1640 – King Charles I of England dissolves the Short Parliament.
1762 – Russia and Prussia sign the Treaty of St. Petersburg.
1789 – In France, the Estates-General convenes for the first time in 150 years.
1809 – Mary Kies becomes the first woman awarded a U.S. patent, for a technique of weaving straw with silk and thread.
1809 – The Swiss canton of Aargau denies citizenship to Jews.
1821 – Emperor Napoleon I dies in exile on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
1835 – In Belgium, the first railway in continental Europe opens between Brussels and Mechelen.
1862 – Cinco de Mayo in Mexico: Troops led by Ignacio Zaragoza halt a French invasion in the Battle of Puebla.
1864 – American Civil War: The Battle of the Wilderness begins in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.
1865 – In North Bend, Ohio (a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio), the first train robbery in the United States takes place.
1877 – Indian Wars: Sitting Bull leads his band of Lakota into Canada to avoid harassment by the United States Army under Colonel Nelson Miles.
1886 – The Bay View Tragedy occurs, as militia fire upon a crowd of protesters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin killing seven.
1891 – The Music Hall in New York City (now known as Carnegie Hall) has its grand opening and first public performance, with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as the guest conductor.
1904 – Pitching against the Philadelphia Athletics at the Huntington Avenue Grounds, Cy Young of the Boston Americans throws the first perfect game in the modern era of baseball.
1916 – American marines invade the Dominican Republic.
1920 – Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are arrested, accused of robbery and murder.
1921 – Chanel No. 5 is released.
1925 – Scopes Trial: John T. Scopes is served an arrest warrant for teaching evolution in violation of the Butler Act.
1925 – Afrikaans is established as an official language in South Africa.
1936 – Italian troops occupy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
1940 – World War II: In London, a Norwegian government-in-exile is formed.
1941 – Emperor Haile Selassie returns to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; this date has been since commemorated as Liberation Day.
1945 – World War II: German troops in the Netherlands and Denmark capitulate to Canadian and British forces, liberating these countries from Nazi occupation.
1945 – World War II: Prague uprising against the Nazis.
1945 – World War II: The Mauthausen concentration camp is liberated.
1945 – World War II: Admiral Karl Dönitz, leader of Germany after Hitler s death, orders all U-boats to cease offensive operations and return to their bases.
1949 – The Council of Europe in Strasbourg is founded through the Treaty of London as the first European institution working for European integration. Since 1964, May 5 has been designated Europe Day by the Council of Europe and is celebrated since then to commemorate its founding on May 5, 1949.
1950 – Bhumibol Adulyadej is crowned as King Rama IX of Thailand.
1955 – West Germany gains full sovereignty.
1961 – The Mercury program: Mercury-Redstone 3 – Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into outer space, making a sub-orbital flight of 15 minutes.
1964 – May 5 is declared Europe Day on the 15th anniversary of the Council of Europe.
1980 – Operation Nimrod: The Special Air Service storm the Iranian embassy in London after a six day siege.
1980 – Constantine Karamanlis is elected for the first time President of Greece.
1987 – Iran-Contra affair: Start of Congressional televised hearings.
1991 – A riot breaks out in the Mt. Pleasant section of Washington, D.C. after a Salvadoran man is shot by police.
1992 – The 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified.
2005 – The United Kingdom general election takes place, in which Tony Blair s Labour Party is re-elected for a third, consecutive term.
2006 – The government of Sudan signs an accord with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA).
2007 – Kenya Airways Flight KQ 507 crashes in Cameroon.

Births
867 – Uda, Emperor of Japan (d. 931)
1210 – King Afonso III of Portugal (d. 1279)
1479 – Guru Amar Das, third Sikh Guru (d. 1574)
1546 – Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, English politician (d. 1623)
1747 – Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1792)
1764 – Robert Craufurd, British general (d. 1812)
1800 – Louis Christophe François Hachette, French publisher (d. 1864)
1813 – Søren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher (d. 1855)
1818 – Karl Marx, German political philosopher (d. 1883)
1826 – Empress Eugenie of France, wife of Napoleon III (d. 1920)
1830 – John Batterson Stetson, American hat manufacturer (d. 1906)
1832 – H.H. Bancroft, American historian and publisher (d. 1918)
1833 – Ferdinand von Richthofen, German geographer (d. 1905)
1834 – Viktor Hartmann, Russian architect and painter (d. 1873)
1846 – Henryk Sienkiewicz, Polish author, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1916)
1864 – Nellie Bly, American journalist and writer (d. 1922)
1866 – Thomas B. Thrige, Danish industrialist (d. 1938)
1869 – Hans Pfitzner, Russian-born composer (d. 1949)
1883 – Archibald Wavell, British general (d. 1950)
1887 – Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1972)
1890 – Christopher Morley, American writer (d. 1957)
1899 – Freeman Gosden, American radio comedian (Amos-Amos n Andy) (d. 1982)
1901 – Blind Willie McTell, American singer (d. 1959)
1903 – James Beard, American chef and cookbook writer (d. 1985)
1908 – Kurt Böhme, German bass (d. 1989)
1914 – Tyrone Power, American actor (d. 1958)
1915 – Alice Faye, American actress (d. 1998)
1916 – Zail Singh, President of India (d. 1994)
1919 – Georgios Papadopoulos, Greek dictator (d. 1999)
1921 – Arthur Leonard Schawlow, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1999)
1923 – Richard Wollheim, British philosopher (d. 2003)
1925 – Leo Ryan, United States Congressman (d. 1978)
1927 – Pat Carroll, American actress
1931 – Greg, Belgian comic-book writer (Achille Talon) (d. 1999)
1934 – Ace Cannon, American saxophonist
1935 – Douglas Marland, American television writer (d. 1993)
1935 – Bernard Pivot, French journalist and television host
1935 – Robert Rehme, American film producer
1936 – Patrick Gowers, British composer
1937 – Johnnie Taylor, American singer (d. 2000)
1937 – Delia Derbyshire, British Electronic Music composer (d. 2001)
1938 – Michael Murphy, American actor
1939 – Cesare Fiorio, Italian sporting director of various Formula One teams
1940 – Lance Henriksen, American actor and painter
1940 – Michael Lindsay-Hogg, American film director
1941 – Alexander Ragulin, Russian hockey player (d. 2004)
1942 – Marc Alaimo, American actor
1942 – Tammy Wynette, American musician (d. 1998)
1943 – Michael Palin, British writer, actor, and comedian
1943 – Raphael, Spanish singer
1944 – Bo Larsson, Swedish footballer
1944 – Jean-Pierre Léaud, French actor
1944 – John Rhys-Davies, Welsh actor
1945 – Kurt Loder, Entertainment reporter
1948 – Bill Ward, British drummer (Black Sabbath)
1950 – Googoosh, Faegheh Atashin (????? ?????), Iranian, Persian Singer & actress
1950 – Mary Hopkin, Welsh singer
1952 – Campbell McComas, Australian impersonator and broadcaster (d. 2005)
1954 – Dave Spector, American television personality and commentator
1955 – Melinda Culea, American actress
1956 – Robert Marien, Quebec actor, singer and songwriter
1957 – Richard E. Grant, British actor
1957 – Peter Howitt, British actor and film director
1958 – Ron Arad, Israeli aircraft navigator missing in action.
1959 – Ian McCulloch, English singer of Echo & the Bunnymen
1959 – Brian Phelps, American disk jockey and actor
1959 – Brian Williams, American news anchor
1961 – Hiroshi Hase, Japanese professional wrestler and politician
1962 – Jenifer McKitrick, American songwriter
1963 – Simon Rimmer, English chef
1963 – Heidi Kozak, American actress
1963 – James LaBrie, Canadian singer (Dream Theater)
1964 – John Lee (placekicker), Korean-born American football player
1965 – Glenn Seton, Australian racing driver
1966 – Shawn Drover, Canadian drummer (Megadeth)
1966 – Josh Weinstein, American writer
1967 – Takehito Koyasu, Japanese seiyu (voice actor)
1967 – Maro Mavri, Greek fashion model and actress
1970 – Kyan Douglas, American TV-personality
1970 – Juan Acevedo, baseball player
1970 – LaPhonso Ellis, American basketball player
1970 – Naomi Klein, Canadian author and activist
1970 – Will Arnett, Canadian-American actor
1970 – Soheil Ayari, French racer
1971 – Mike Redmond, American baseball player
1971 – Harold Miner, American basketball player
1971 – David Reilly, American singer (God Lives Underwater) (d. 2005)
1972 – James Cracknell, British rowing champion, double Olympic gold medalist
1972 – Devin Townsend, Canadian musician (Strapping Young Lad)
1972 – Brad Bombardir, Canadian ice hockey player
1973 – Tina Yothers, American actress
1973 – Erik Kowalski, American IDM composer behind Casino Versus Japan
1974 – Seiji Ara, Japanese racing driver
1976 – Juan Pablo Sorín, Argentine footballer
1976 – Jeremy Michael Ward, American Musician (d. 2003)
1976 – Anastasios Pantos, Greek footballer
1976 – Dieter Brummer, Australian TV Actor
1977 – Choi Kang-hee, South Korean actress
1978 – Santiago Cabrera, Chilean actor
1978 – Bruno Cheyrou, French footballer
1978 – Morgan Pehme, American filmmaker and writer
1979 – Vincent Kartheiser, American actor
1980 – DerMarr Johnson, American basketball player
1980 – Yossi Benayoun, Israeli Footballer
1981 – Danielle Fishel, American actress
1981 – Marcelle Bittar, Brazilian supermodel
1981 – Chris Duncan, baseball player
1981 – Craig David, English singer
1982 – Jay Bothroyd, English footballer
1982 – Wouter D Haene, Belgian flatwater canoer
1982 – Randall Gay, National Football League player
1982 – Edyta Sliwinska, Polish ballroom dancer
1983 – Henry Cavill, English actor
1983 – Scott Ware, American footballer
1984 – Wade MacNeil, Canadian guitarist (Alexisonfire)
1984 – Eve Torres, American dancer and model
1985 – P. J. Tucker, American basketball player
1985 – Shoko Nakagawa, Japanese actress, illustrator and singer
1985 – Terrence Wheatley, American Football player
1987 – Marija Šestic, Bosnian singer
1988 – Jessica Dubroff, American aviator (d. 1996)
1988 – Brooke Hogan, American singer
1988 – Skye Sweetnam, Canadian singer and songwriter
1988 – Adele, English singer
1989 – Chris Brown, American singer and actor

Deaths
200 – Sun Ce, warlord of the Han Dynasty (b. 175)
311 – Galerius, Roman Emperor
984 – Gerberga of Saxony, Queen of Western Francia
1028 – King Alfonso V of Castile, León, and Galicia
1194 – King Casimir II of Poland (b. 1138)
1219 – King Leo II of Armenia (b. 1150)
1309 – King Charles II of Naples
1525 – Frederick III of Saxony (b. 1463)
1586 – Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland (b. 1529)
1604 – Claudio Merulo, Italian composer (b. 1533)
1671 – Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester, English politician (b. 1602)
1672 – Samuel Cooper, English painter (b. 1609)
1705 – Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1640)
1760 – Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers, English murderer (hanged) (b. 1720)
1766 – Jean Astruc, French physician and scholar (b. 1684)
1808 – Pierre Jean George Cabanis, French physiologist (b. 1757)
1811 – Robert Mylne, Scottish architect (b. 1734)
1821 – Napoleon I of France (b. 1769)
1827 – Frederick Augustus I of Saxony (b. 1750)
1833 – Sophia Campbell, Australian artist (b. 1777)
1855 – Sir Robert Inglis, Bt, English politician (b. 1786)
1859 – Peter Gustav Dirichlet, German mathematician (b. 1805)
1892 – August Wilhelm von Hofmann, German chemist (b. 1818)
1896 – Silas Adams, American lawyer and politician (b. 1839)
1900 – Ivan Aivazovsky, Russian painter (b. 1817)
1921 – Alfred Hermann Fried, Austrian writer and pacifist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1864)
1931 – Glen Kidston, British aviator and racing driver (b. 1899)
1941 – Natalija Obrenovic, Queen of Serbia (b. 1859)
1942 – Qemal Stafa, Albanian politician (b. 1920)
1945 – Peter Van Pels, Jewish Refugee (b. 1926)
1947 – Ty LaForest, Canadian baseball player (b. 1917)
1959 – Carlos Saavedra Lamas, Argentine politician, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1878)
1962 – Ernest Tyldesley, English cricketer (b. 1889)
1971 – Violet Jessop, Titanic survivor (b. 1887)
1977 – Ludwig Erhard, German politician (CDU) and Chancellor of Germany from 1963 until 1966 (b. 1897)
1981 – Bobby Sands, Irish activist (b. 1954)
1983 – Horst Schumann, Nazi physician (b. 1901)
1985 – Sir Donald Bailey, British civil engineer (b. 1901)
1988 – Michael Shaara, American author (b. 1928)
1992 – Jean-Claude Pascal, French singer (b. 1927)
1995 – Mikhail Botvinnik, Russian chess player, grandmaster and world champion. (b. 1911)
1997 – Walter Gotell, German actor (b. 1924)
2000 – Gino Bartali, Italian cyclist (b. 1914)
2001 – Clifton Hillegass, American writer and publisher
2001 – Raymond Kessler, American midget wrestler
2002 – Hugo Banzer, Bolivian dictator (b. 1926)
2002 – Paul Klipsch, American engineer, noted for his loudspeaker designs. (b. 1904)
2002 – George Sidney, American film director (b. 1916)
2003 – Sam Bockarie, RUF Rebel Commander (b. 1964)
2003 – Walter Sisulu, South African activist (b. 1912)
2004 – Ritsuko Okazaki, Japanese singer-songwriter (b. 1959)
2006 – Naushad Ali, Indian composer (b. 1919)
2007 – Theodore Harold Maiman, Inventor, noted for making the first working laser. (b. 1927)
2008 – Irv Robbins, Canadian-American entrepreneur (b. 1917)

Holidays and observances
Mexico: Cinco de Mayo (1862).
International Midwives Day.
Council of Europe: Europe Day.
CPLP – Community of Portuguese-speaking countries: Day of the Lusophone.
Albania: Martyrs Day (Albania).
Denmark: Liberation Day (1945).
Ethiopia: Liberation Day (1941).
Guyana: Indian Arrival Day (1838).
Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Taiwan (2006): Buddha s Birthday.
Japan: Tango no Sekku (Boy s Day) or Kodomo no hi (Children s Day).
The Netherlands: Liberation Day (1945).
Northern Territory, Australia: May Day.
South Korea: Children s Day.
Thailand: Coronation Day of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.