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On This Day in History — December 5

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Highlights of December 5

2007 — A gunman killed nine people at a shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska. Read more
1972 — Gough Whitlam took office as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia and formed a duumvirate with his deputy Lance Barnard, ending 23 years of Liberal–Country Party government. Read more
1965 — The "glasnost meeting" took place in Moscow, becoming the first demonstration in the Soviet Union after World War II and marking the beginning of the civil rights movement in the country. Read more
1958 — Britain's first motorway, the Preston Bypass, opened to the public. Read more
1952 — The "Great Smog of London" (pictured) began and lasted for five days, causing 12,000 deaths and leading to the Clean Air Act 1956. Read more
1936 — The 1936 Soviet constitution, also known as the "Stalin constitution", was adopted. Read more
1918 — National Guards and Sokol volunteers protested in Zagreb, leading to an armed clash with regiments of the Home Guard and former Common Army. Read more
1914 — The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition began in an attempt to make the first land crossing of Antarctica. Read more
1807 — Napoleonic Wars: British ships began a raid on Griessie after the Dutch captain refused a British demand for surrender. Read more
1775 — American Revolutionary War: Continental Army colonel Henry Knox arrived at Fort Ticonderoga in New York to arrange the transport of 60 tons of artillery (depicted) to support the siege of Boston. Read more
1757 — Seven Years' War: Prussian troops under Frederick the Great defeated Austrian forces at the Battle of Leuthen (pictured). Read more
1484 — Pope Innocent VIII issued the papal bull Summis desiderantes affectibus, which gave the Dominican inquisitor Heinrich Kramer the explicit authority to prosecute witchcraft in Germany. Read more
1456 — The first of two major earthquakes struck the Kingdom of Naples, killing up to 70,000 people. Read more

Events

2017 — The International Olympic Committee bans Russia from competing at the 2018 Winter Olympics for doping at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Read more
2014 — Exploration Flight Test-1, the first flight test of Orion, is launched. Read more
2013 — Militants attack a Defense Ministry compound in Sanaa, Yemen, killing at least 56 people and injuring 200 others. Read more
2007 — Westroads Mall shooting: Nineteen-year-old Robert A. Hawkins kills nine people, including himself, with a WASR-10 at a Von Maur department store in Omaha, Nebraska. Read more
2006 — Commodore Frank Bainimarama overthrows the government in Fiji. Read more
2005 — The Civil Partnership Act comes into effect in the United Kingdom, and the first civil partnership is registered there. Read more
2005 — The 6.8 Mw Lake Tanganyika earthquake shakes the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), killing six people. Read more
2001 — Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-108, carrying the Expedition 4 crew to the International Space Station. Read more
1995 — Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lanka's government announces the conquest of the Tamil stronghold of Jaffna. Read more
1995 — Azerbaijan Airlines Flight A-56 crashes near Nakhchivan International Airport in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan, killing 52 people. Read more
1994 — The Budapest Memorandum is signed at the OSCE conference in Budapest, Hungary. Read more
1991 — Leonid Kravchuk is elected the first president of Ukraine. Read more
1983 — Dissolution of the Military Junta in Argentina. Read more
1977 — Egypt breaks diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen in retaliation to preventing President Anwar el-Sadat from pursuing negotiations with Israel at the Tripoli confer. Read more
1971 — Battle of Gazipur: Pakistani forces are defeated as India cedes Gazipur to Bangladesh. Read more
1964 — Vietnam War: For his heroism in battle earlier in the year, Captain Roger Donlon is awarded the first Medal of Honor of the war. Read more
1964 — Lloyd J. Old discovers the first linkage between the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and disease—mouse leukemia—opening the way for the recognition of the importance of the MHC in the immune response. Read more
1958 — Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) is inaugurated in the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth II when she speaks to the Lord Provost in a call from Bristol to Edinburgh. Read more
1958 — The Preston By-pass, the UK's first stretch of motorway, opens to traffic for the first time. (It is now part of the M6 and M55 motorways.) Read more
1955 — The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merge and form the AFL–CIO. Read more
1955 — The Civil Rights Movement: the Montgomery bus boycott begins, led by E. D. Nixon and Rosa Parks. Read more
1952 — Beginning of the Great Smog in London. A cold fog combines with air pollution and brings the city to a standstill for four days. Later, a Ministry of Health report estimates 4,000 fatalities as a result of it. Read more
1945 — Flight 19, a group of TBF Avengers, disappears in the Bermuda Triangle. Read more
1943 — World War II: Allied air forces begin attacking Germany's secret weapons bases in Operation Crossbow. Read more
1941 — World War II: In the Battle of Moscow, Georgy Zhukov launches a massive Soviet counter-attack against the German army. Read more
1941 — World War II: Great Britain declares war on Finland, Hungary and Romania. Read more
1936 — The Soviet Union adopts a new constitution and the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic is established as a full Union Republic of the USSR. Read more
1935 — Mary McLeod Bethune founds the National Council of Negro Women in New York City. Read more
1934 — Abyssinia Crisis: Italian troops attack Wal Wal in Abyssinia, taking four days to capture the city. Read more
1933 — The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, repealing Prohibition in the United States. Read more
1921 — The Football Association bans women's football in England from league grounds, a ban that stays in place for 50 years. Read more
1919 — Ukrainian War of Independence: The Polonsky conspiracy is suppressed and its participants are executed by the Kontrrazvedka. Read more
1914 — The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition begins in an attempt to make the first land crossing of Antarctica. Read more
1895 — New Haven Symphony Orchestra of Connecticut performs its first concert. Read more
1865 — Chincha Islands War: Peru allies with Chile against Spain. Read more
1848 — California Gold Rush: In a message to the United States Congress, U.S. President James K. Polk confirms that large amounts of gold had been discovered in California. Read more
1847 — Jefferson Davis is elected to the U.S. Senate. Read more
1831 — Former U.S. President John Quincy Adams takes his seat in the House of Representatives. Read more
1776 — Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest academic honor society in the U.S., holds its first meeting at the College of William & Mary. Read more
1775 — At Fort Ticonderoga, Henry Knox begins his historic transport of artillery to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Read more
1770 — 29th Regiment of Foot privates Hugh Montgomery and Matthew Kilroy are found guilty for the manslaughter of Crispus Attucks and Samuel Gray respectively in the Boston Massacre. Read more
1766 — In London, auctioneer James Christie holds his first sale. Read more
1757 — Seven Years' War: Battle of Leuthen: Frederick II of Prussia leads Prussian forces to a decisive victory over Austrian forces under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine. Read more
1649 — The town of Raahe (Swedish: Brahestad) is founded by Count Per Brahe the Younger. Read more
1578 — Sir Francis Drake, after sailing through Strait of Magellan, raids Valparaíso. Read more
1560 — Ten-year-old Charles IX becomes king of France, with Queen Mother Catherine de' Medici as regent. Read more
1496 — King Manuel I of Portugal issues a decree ordering the expulsion of Jews from the country. Read more
1484 — Pope Innocent VIII issues the Summis desiderantes affectibus, a papal bull that deputizes Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger as inquisitors to root out alleged witchcraft in Germany. Read more
1456 — The first of two earthquakes measuring Mw 7.2 strikes Italy, causing extreme destruction and killing upwards of 70,000 people. Read more
1408 — Seeking to resubjugate Muscovy, Emir Edigu of the Golden Horde reaches Moscow, burning areas around the city but failing to take the city itself. Read more
1082 — Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona is assassinated, most likely by his brother, Berenguer Ramon II. Read more
1033 — The Jordan Rift Valley earthquake destroys multiple cities across the Levant, triggers a tsunami and kills many. Read more
633 — Fourth Council of Toledo opens, presided over by Isidore of Seville. Read more
63 BC — Cicero gives the fourth and final of the Catiline Orations. Read more

Born on December 5

2009 — Owen Cooper, English actor Read more
2008 — Ediz Gürel, Turkish chess grandmaster Read more
2000 — Soobin, South Korean singer-songwriter Read more
1998 — Conan Gray, American singer-songwriter Read more
1998 — Randal Kolo Muani, French footballer Read more
1997 — Maddie Poppe, American singer-songwriter and musician Read more
1997 — Quinnen Williams, American football player Read more
1995 — Danny Levi, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
1995 — Anthony Martial, French footballer Read more
1995 — Kaetlyn Osmond, Canadian figure skater Read more
1995 — Levy Rozman, American chess International Master, streamer and YouTuber Read more
1995 — Alexander Sørloth, Norwegian footballer Read more
1994 — Ondrej Duda, Slovak footballer Read more
1994 — Semi Ojeleye, American basketball player Read more
1993 — Ross Barkley, English footballer Read more
1993 — Luciano Vietto, Argentine footballer Read more
1992 — Natalie Sourisseau, Canadian field hockey player Read more
1991 — Cam Fowler, Canadian-American ice hockey player Read more
1991 — Christian Yelich, American baseball player Read more
1990 — Montee Ball, American football player Read more
1989 — Jurrell Casey, American football player Read more
1989 — Kwon Yu-ri, South Korean singer-songwriter and actress Read more
1988 — Ross Bagley, American actor Read more
1988 — Tina Charles, American basketball player Read more
1988 — Kyle Long, American football player Read more
1988 — Joanna Rowsell, English cyclist Read more
1987 — A. J. Pollock, American baseball player Read more
1986 — LeGarrette Blount, American football player Read more
1986 — James Hinchcliffe, Canadian Indycar racing driver Read more
1986 — Justin Smoak, American baseball player Read more
1985 — Shikhar Dhawan, Indian cricketer Read more
1985 — André-Pierre Gignac, French footballer Read more
1985 — Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, Emirati princess Read more
1985 — Frankie Muniz, American actor, drummer, and race car driver Read more
1985 — Josh Smith, American basketball player Read more
1985 — Danny Wicks, Australian rugby league player Read more
1984 — Lauren London, American actress Read more
1983 — Joakim Lindström, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
1982 — Eddy Curry, American basketball player Read more
1982 — Keri Hilson, American singer-songwriter and actress Read more

Died on December 5

2025 — Frank Gehry, Canadian-American architect and designer (b. 1929) Read more
2025 — Michael Annett, American Former NASCAR Driver (b. 1986) Read more
2024 — Jacques Roubaud, French poet, writer, and mathematician (born 1932) Read more
2023 — Norman Lear, American screenwriter and producer (born 1922) Read more
2022 — Kirstie Alley, American actress and producer (born 1951) Read more
2021 — Bob Dole, American politician (born 1923) Read more
2020 — Peter Alliss, English professional golfer (born 1931) Read more
2019 — Robert Walker, American actor (born 1940) Read more
2017 — Michael I of Romania, fifth and last king of Romania (born 1921) Read more
2017 — August Ames, Canadian American pornographic actress (born 1994) Read more
2016 — Tyruss Himes ("Big Syke"), American rapper (born 1968) Read more
2016 — J. Jayalalithaa, Indian actress and Former Chief Minister of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu (born 1948) Read more
2015 — Vic Eliason, American clergyman and radio host, founded VCY America (born 1936) Read more
2015 — Tibor Rubin, Hungarian-American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1929) Read more
2015 — Chuck Williams, American businessman and author, founded Williams Sonoma (born 1915) Read more
2014 — Ernest C. Brace, American captain and pilot (born 1931) Read more
2014 — Fabiola, Queen of Belgium (born 1928) Read more
2014 — Talât Sait Halman, Turkish poet, translator, and historian (born 1931) Read more
2014 — Jackie Healy-Rae, Irish hurdler and politician (born 1931) Read more
2014 — Silvio Zavala, Mexican historian and author (born 1909) Read more
2013 — Fred Bassetti, American architect and academic, founded Bassetti Architects (born 1917) Read more
2013 — William B. Edmondson, American lawyer and diplomat, United States Ambassador to South Africa (born 1927) Read more
2013 — Nelson Mandela, South African lawyer and politician, 1st President of South Africa, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1918) Read more
2012 — Dave Brubeck, American pianist and composer (born 1920) Read more
2012 — Elisabeth Murdoch, Australian philanthropist (born 1909) Read more
2012 — Oscar Niemeyer, Brazilian architect, designed the United Nations Headquarters and Cathedral of Brasília (born 1907) Read more
2012 — Ignatius IV of Antioch, Syrian patriarch (born 1920) Read more
2011 — Peter Gethin, English racing driver (born 1940) Read more
2011 — Gennady Logofet, Russian footballer and manager (born 1942) Read more
2010 — Alan Armer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1922) Read more
2010 — Don Meredith, American football player, sportscaster, and actor (born 1938) Read more
2009 — William Lederer, American soldier and author (born 1912) Read more
2008 — Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow (born 1929) Read more
2008 — George Brecht, American chemist and composer (born 1926) Read more
2008 — Nina Foch, Dutch-American actress (born 1924) Read more
2008 — Beverly Garland, American actress and businesswoman (born 1926) Read more
2008 — Anca Parghel, Romanian singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1957) Read more
2007 — Andrew Imbrie, American composer and academic (born 1921) Read more
2007 — George Paraskevaides, Greek-Cypriot businessman and philanthropist, co-founded Joannou & Paraskevaides (born 1916) Read more
2007 — Karlheinz Stockhausen, German composer and academic (born 1928) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Clement of Alexandria (Episcopal Church); Christian feast day: Crispina of Numidia; Christian feast day: Dalmatius of Pavia; Christian feast day: John Almond; Christian feast day: Justinian of Ramsey Island; Christian feast day: Nicetius (Nizier); Christian feast day: Pelinus of Brindisi; Christian feast day: Sabbas the Sanctified; Christian feast day: December 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Children's Day (Suriname); Day of Military Honour - Battle of Moscow (Russia); Discovery Day (Haiti and Dominican Republic); International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development; Klozum (Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands); Saint Nicholas' Eve (Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Germany, Poland and the UK) Krampusnacht (Austria); The King Bhumibol Adulyadej Memorial Birthday (Thailand); World Soil Day

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Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “December 5”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.