Did you know
Freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted in 1791.
August 5 in History
1735 — Freedom of the press: New York Weekly Journal writer John Peter Zenger is acquitted of seditious libel against the royal governor of New York, on the basis that what he had published was true
August 5 spans 77 recorded events across recorded history, from 25 to 2024. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Historical Events
77 events
25 – 2024
Today in history
More major events on August 5
The featured story and these ranked highlights form a quick summary. Every recorded event remains available in the chronology below.
- 1861 The United States Army abolishes flogging. Source
- 1192 Richard I of England defeats Saladin in the battle of Jaffa, which enables him to conclude a favourable treaty for the crusaders. Source
- 1963 Cold War: The United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union sign the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Source
Did you know
The concept of freedom of the press has its roots in 17th-century England, where it was advocated by philosophers such as John Milton.
Did you know
The New York Weekly Journal, where John Peter Zenger worked, was a prominent publication in the American colonies.
Did you know
The trial of John Peter Zenger is considered a landmark case in the history of American journalism and freedom of the press.
Did you know
The principle of freedom of the press has been adopted by many countries, including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, through their respective constitutions and laws.
25
Guangwu claims the throne as Emperor of China, restoring the Han dynasty after the collapse of the short-lived Xin dynasty.
Third decade of the first century AD
70
Fires resulting from the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem are extinguished.
Calendar year
642
Battle of Maserfield: Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Northumbria.
Anglo-Saxon battle (c. 642 CE)
910
The last major Danish army to raid England for nearly a century is defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward the Elder and Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians.
Sovereign state in Europe before 1707
939
The Battle of Alhandic is fought between Ramiro II of León and Abd-ar-Rahman III at Zamora in the context of the Spanish Reconquista.
The battle resulted in a victory for the Emirate of Córdoba.
974
Abbasid Caliph al-Muti' is forced to abdicate by his Turkic general Sabuktakin and succeeded by his son al-Ta'i'.
Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad (r. 946–974)
1068
Byzantine–Norman wars: Italo-Normans begin a nearly-three-year siege of Bari.
Series of Norman invasions of the Byzantine Empire between 1040 and 1189
1100
Henry I is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey.
King of England from 1100 to 1135
1192
Richard I of England defeats Saladin in the battle of Jaffa, which enables him to conclude a favourable treaty for the crusaders.
King of England from 1189 to 1199
1278
Spanish Reconquista: the forces of the Kingdom of Castile initiate the ultimately futile Siege of Algeciras against the Emirate of Granada.
Medieval Christian military campaigns
1305
First Scottish War of Independence: Sir John Stewart of Menteith, the pro-English Sheriff of Dumbarton, successfully manages to capture Sir William Wallace of Scotland, leading to Wallace's subsequent execution by hanging, evisceration, drawing and quartering, and beheading 18 days later.
1296–1328 war between England and Scotland
1388
The Battle of Otterburn, a border skirmish between the Scottish and the English in Northern England, is fought near Otterburn.
1388 battle of the Anglo-Scottish Wars
1460
The Kingdom of Scotland captures Roxburgh, one of the last English strongholds in Scotland, following a siege.
Siege during Anglo-Scottish Wars
1506
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Crimean Khanate in the Battle of Kletsk.
European state (c. 1236–1795)
1583
Sir Humphrey Gilbert establishes the first English colony in North America, at what is now St.
John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
1600
The Gowrie Conspiracy against King James VI of Scotland (later to become King James I of England) takes place at Gowrie House (Perth, Scotland).
16th-century Scottish nobleman
1620
The Mayflower departs from Southampton, England, carrying would-be settlers, on its first attempt to reach North America; it is forced to dock in Dartmouth when its companion ship, the Speedwell, springs a leak.
17th-century ship of American colonists
1689
Beaver Wars: Fifteen hundred Iroquois attack Lachine in New France.
Series of 17th century conflicts between the Haudenosaunee and neighboring nations
1716
Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718):The Austrians defeat the Ottomans in the Battle of Petrovaradin.
One-fifth of a Turkish army and the Grand Vizier are killed.
1763
Pontiac's War: Battle of Bushy Run: British forces led by Henry Bouquet defeat Chief Pontiac's Indians at Bushy Run.
1763 conflict by indigenous Native Americans against the British in Canada
1772
First Partition of Poland: The representatives of Austria, Prussia, and Russia sign three bilateral conventions condemning the "anarchy" of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and imputing to the three powers "ancient and legitimate rights" to the territories of the Commonwealth.
The conventions allow each of the three great powers to annex a part of the Commonwealth, which they proceed to do over the course of the following two months.
1781
1796
The Battle of Castiglione in Napoleon's first Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars results in a French victory.
1796 battle during the War of the First Coalition
1816
The British Admiralty dismisses Francis Ronalds's new invention of the first working electric telegraph as "wholly unnecessary", preferring to continue using the semaphore.
English scientist and engineer (1788–1873)
1824
Greek War of Independence: Konstantinos Kanaris leads a Greek fleet to victory against Ottoman and Egyptian naval forces in the Battle of Samos.
Greek rebellion against the Ottoman Empire (1821–1829)
1858
Cyrus West Field and others complete the first transatlantic telegraph cable after several unsuccessful attempts.
It will operate for less than a month.
1860
Charles XV of Sweden–Norway is crowned king of Norway in Trondheim.
King of Sweden and Norway from 1859 to 1872
1861
American Civil War: In order to help pay for the war effort, the United States government levies the first income tax as part of the Revenue Act of 1861 (3% of all incomes over US$800; rescinded in 1872).
1861–1865 conflict in the United States
1861
The United States Army abolishes flogging.
Land service branch of the U.S. military
1862
American Civil War: Battle of Baton Rouge: Along the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Confederate troops attempt to take the city, but are driven back by fire from Union gunboats.
Battle of the American Civil War
1864
American Civil War: The Battle of Mobile Bay begins at Mobile Bay near Mobile, Alabama, Admiral David Farragut leads a Union flotilla through Confederate defenses and seals one of the last major Southern ports.
Naval battle of the American Civil War
1874
Japan launches its postal savings system, modeled after a similar system in the United Kingdom.
Banking services offered by a postal system
1882
Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, today known as ExxonMobil, is established officially.
The company would later grow to become the holder of all Standard Oil companies and the entity at the center of the breakup of Standard Oil.
1884
The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe's Island (now Liberty Island) in New York Harbor.
Colossal sculpture in New York Harbor
1888
Bertha Benz drives from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back in the first long distance automobile trip, commemorated as the Bertha Benz Memorial Route since 2008.
German automobile pioneer, with husband Carl Benz
1901
Peter O'Connor sets the first World Athletics recognised long jump world record of 24 ft 11.75 in (7.6137 m), a record that would stand for 20 years.
Irish track and field athlete
1906
Persian Constitutional Revolution: Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar, King of Iran, agrees to convert the government to a constitutional monarchy.
1905–1911 Iranian uprising against absolute monarchy
1914
World War I: The German minelayer SS Königin Luise lays a minefield about 40 miles (64 km) off the Thames Estuary (Lowestoft).
She is intercepted and sunk by the British light-cruiser HMS Amphion.
1914
World War I: The guns of Point Nepean fort at Port Phillip Heads in Victoria (Australia) fire across the bows of the Norddeutscher Lloyd steamer SS Pfalz which is attempting to leave the Port of Melbourne in ignorance of the declaration of war and she is detained; this is said to be the first Allied shot of the War.
German cargo steamship, operational from 1913 to her wreckage in 1937
1914
In Cleveland, Ohio, the first electric traffic light is installed.
City in Ohio, United States
1916
World War I: Battle of Romani: Allied forces, under the command of Archibald Murray, defeat an attacking Ottoman army under the command of Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein, securing the Suez Canal and beginning the Ottoman retreat from the Sinai Peninsula.
1916 World War I attack on Suez Canal
1925
Plaid Cymru is formed with the aim of disseminating knowledge of the Welsh language that is at the time in danger of dying out.
Welsh nationalist political party
1926
Harry Houdini performs his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping.
American escapologist and stuntman (1874–1926)
1931
Judge and Nazi Party member Werner Best drews the Boxheim Documents, which described a violent takeover of the government by the NSDAP.
Far-right political party in Germany (1920–1945)
1939
The Thirteen Roses: Thirteen female members of the Unified Socialist Youth are executed by Francoist forces in Madrid, Spain.
Group of 13 young women executed in Francoist Spain
1940
World War II: The Soviet Union formally annexes Latvia.
Global conflict (1939–1945)
1944
World War II: At least 1,104 Japanese POWs in Australia attempt to escape from a camp at Cowra, New South Wales; 545 temporarily succeed but are later either killed, commit suicide, or are recaptured.
1944
World War II: Polish insurgents liberate a German labor camp (Gęsiówka) in Warsaw, freeing 348 Jewish prisoners.
Type of detention facility
1944
World War II: The Nazis begin a week-long massacre of between 40,000 and 50,000 civilians and prisoners of war in Wola, Poland.
1944 extermination of civilians by Nazi forces in Wola, Warsaw, Poland
1949
In Ecuador, an earthquake destroys 50 towns and kills more than 6,000.
Country in South America
1949
In Montana, 12 smokejumper firefighters and 1 US Forest Service fire guard are killed in the Mann Gulch Fire.
U.S. state
1957
American Bandstand, a show dedicated to the teenage "baby-boomers" by playing the songs and showing popular dances of the time, debuts on the ABC television network.
American music television series (1952–1989)
1960
Burkina Faso, then known as Upper Volta, becomes independent from France.
Country in West Africa
1962
American actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead at her home from a drug overdose.
American actress and model (1926–1962)
1963
Cold War: The United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union sign the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
1947–1991 geopolitical rivalry between US and USSR
1964
Vietnam War: Operation Pierce Arrow: American aircraft from carriers USS Ticonderoga and USS Constellation bomb North Vietnam in retaliation for strikes against U.S.
destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin.
1965
The Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 begins as Pakistani soldiers cross the Line of Control dressed as locals.
Armed conflict
1966
A group of red guards at Experimental High in Beijing, including Deng Rong and Liu Pingping, daughters of Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi respectively, beat the deputy vice principal, Bian Zhongyun, to death with sticks after accusing her of counter-revolutionary revisionism, producing one of the first fatalities of the Cultural Revolution.
1966–1968 social movement in China
1969
The Lonesome Cowboys police raid occurs in Atlanta, Georgia, leading to the creation of the Georgia Gay Liberation Front.
1969 anti-LGBT raid in Atlanta, Georgia, US
1971
The first Pacific Islands Forum (then known as the "South Pacific Forum") is held in Wellington, New Zealand, with the aim of enhancing cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean.
Intergovernmental organisation of island nations in the Pacific Ocean
1973
1974
Watergate scandal: President Richard Nixon, under orders of the US Supreme Court, releases the "Smoking Gun" tape, recorded on June 23, 1972, clearly revealing his actions in covering up and interfering investigations into the break-in.
His political support vanishes completely.
1979
In Afghanistan, Maoists undertake the Bala Hissar uprising against the Leninist government.
1979 insurrection attempt in Kabul, Afghanistan
1981
President Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.
President of the United States from 1981 to 1989
1984
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines Fokker F27 Friendship crashes on approach to Zia International Airport, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing all 49 people on board.
National airline of Bangladesh
1995
Yugoslav Wars: The city of Knin, Croatia, a significant Serb stronghold, is taken by Croatian forces during Operation Storm.
The date is celebrated in Croatia as Victory Day.
2003
A car bomb explodes in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta outside the Marriott Hotel killing 12 and injuring 150.
Terrorist attack in Indonesia
2008
The New England Revolution win the 2008 North American SuperLiga final against the Houston Dynamo.
American soccer club in Greater Boston
2010
The Copiapó mining accident occurs, trapping 33 Chilean miners approximately 2,300 ft (700 m) below the ground for 69 days.
Cave-in and miner rescue in Atacama Region, Chile
2010
Ten members of International Assistance Mission Nuristan Eye Camp team are killed by persons unknown in Kuran wa Munjan District of Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan.
Christian development non-governmental organization operating in Afghanistan
2012
The Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting took place in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six victims; the perpetrator committed suicide after being wounded by police.
2012 terrorist attack in Wisconsin, U.S.
2015
The Environmental Protection Agency at Gold King Mine waste water spill releases three million gallons of heavy metal toxin tailings and waste water into the Animas River in Colorado.
Environmental disaster near Silverton, Colorado
2019
The revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (state) occurred and the state was bifurcated into two union territories (Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) and Ladakh).
2019 Indian political incident
2021
Australia's second most populous state Victoria enters its sixth COVID-19 lockdown, enacting stage four restrictions statewide in reaction to six new COVID-19 cases recorded that morning.
Country in Oceania
2024
Following the non-cooperation movement against the government of Bangladesh, Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees the country, ending her rule of 15 consecutive years and a total of almost two decades.
The date is also known as 36 July.