Fact 1: Apollo 9 was launched
On March 5, 1969, the manned mission Apollo 9 was launched. This was an important event in America’s Apollo space program. The primary mission objectives included successful testing of all aspects of the Lunar Module in Earth's orbit.
Fact 2: Alexander Graham Bell is born
The man who invented the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, was born on March 5, 1847. He was not only an inventor, but also an engineer and scientist. His invention fundamentally changed the way we communicate today.
Fact 3: The Battle of the Alamo
March 5 is remembered for the 1836 battle in Texas known as the Battle of the Alamo. This event went down in history as a crucial event in Texas's bid for independence from Mexico.
Fact 4: Celebrated Playwright Henrik Ibsen premieres "The Vikings at Helgeland"
Renowned playwright Henrik Ibsen debuted his gripping play “The Vikings at Helgeland” on March 5, 1858. Ibsen, often referred to as the father of modern drama, wrote this play based on old sagas.
Fact 5: The creation of the U.S. Bureau of Mines
March 5, 1910 marks the formation of the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The bureau was created to conduct research and to reduce accidents in the coal-mining industry, following a series of mine explosions.
Fact 6: Charlie Chaplin's last appearance as the Little Tramp
The film "Modern Times", released on March 5, 1936, was the last time audiences would see Charlie Chaplin in his iconic Little Tramp persona. This was Chaplin's first film made after the development of talkies.
Fact 7: Romania and Bulgaria joined NATO
On March 5, 2004, Romania and Bulgaria joined NATO as full members. Their accession marked an important expansion for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Fact 8: Great Britain began minting the iconic gold sovereign coin
On March 5, 1817, Great Britain started to mint what has become an iconic coin worldwide - the gold sovereign. The coin became synonymous with Britain’s imperial might.
Fact 9: Hitler's WWII blitzkrieg strategy was born
Adolf Hitler's infamous blitzkrieg strategy during World War II was born on March 5, 1940. The strategy involved surreal shock and awe tactics coupled with quick, concentrated attacks.
Fact 10: Winston Churchill delivered his famous "Iron Curtain" speech
On March 5, 1946 Winston Churchill made the historic 'Iron Curtain' speech at Fulton, Missouri. This speech is polysemous as it announced the onset of the Cold War.
Fact 11: First transatlantic radio broadcast
The first transatlantic radio broadcast between the U.S. and England occurred on March 5, 1927. This marked a great technological advancement in its time.
Fact 12: 'Spirit', the Mars Rover, experienced a digital brain dump
The 'Spirit', NASA's Mars Exploration Rover, underwent a system reset on March 5, 2004. It wiped out its flash memory in order to get back to full functionality.
Fact 13: Spain's vaccination law
On March 5, 1803, Spain imposed the first nationwide childhood vaccination law to combat the smallpox epidemic. The law required all children to be vaccinated against the virus.
Fact 14: Jupiter's large moon Io discovered
On March 5, 1612, Italian physicist Galileo Galilei discovered Io, Jupiter’s third-largest moon. It stands as one of the four largest moons in our solar system.
Fact 15: "Casablanca" wins Best Picture at the 1944 Oscars
"Casablanca" won the Academy Award for Best Picture on March 5, 1944. This Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman starrer has remained a cherished classic.
Fact 16: Queen Elizabeth II opened the Barbican Centre
On March 5, 1982, Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the Barbican Centre in London. It’s one of the largest performing arts centres in Europe.
Fact 17: Somalia's President survived a shootout
On March 5, 2014, President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud survived an attack by Islamist militants.
Fact 18: Founding of the first Community Television
March 5, 1972, saw the first Community Television channel, Channel 10 ACT, being launched in Canberra, Australia.
Fact 19: First retail barcode scanner installed
On March 5, 1974, the first retail barcode scanner was installed at Marsh's supermarket in Troy, Ohio. Within a decade, this technology was common in retail stores all over the world.
Fact 20: Statue of David is unveiled
Released to the public on March 5, 1504, the famous Statue of David sculpted by Michelangelo was first unveiled in Florence, Italy. It still stands today as a magnificent example of Renaissance sculpture.