On This Day August 5th

OTD

August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 148 days remain until the end of the year.

Events

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.

1583 – Sir Humphrey Gilbert established the first English colony in North America at St. John's, Newfoundland, and Labrador.

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.

1816 – The British Admiralty dismisses Francis Ronalds's invention of the first working electric telegraph as "wholly unnecessary," preferring to continue using the semaphore.

1884 – The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe's Island (now Liberty Island) in New York Harbor.

1901 – Peter O'Connor sets the first World Athletics recognized long jump world record of 24 ft 11.75 in (7.6137 m), which would stand for 20 years.

1914 – The first electric traffic light is installed in Cleveland, Ohio.

1957 – American Bandstand, a show dedicated to the teenage "baby boomers" by playing songs and showing popular dances of the time, debuts on the ABC television network.

1962 – Apartheid: Nelson Mandela is jailed. He would not be released until 1990.

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 with investigations into the break-in. His political support vanishes completely.

 

 

Birthdays

1623 – Antonio Cesti, Italian organist, and composer (d. 1669)

1815 – Edward John Eyre, English explorer, and politician, Governor of Jamaica (d. 1901)

1844 – Ilya Repin, Russian painter and sculptor (d. 1930)

1872 – Oswaldo Cruz, a Brazilian physician, bacteriologist, and epidemiologist founded the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (d. 1917)

1876 – Mary Ritter Beard, American historian and activist (d. 1958)

1912 – Abbé Pierre, French priest and humanitarian (d. 2007)

1930 – Neil Armstrong, American pilot, engineer, and astronaut (d. 2012)

1937 – Herb Brooks, American ice hockey player, and coach (d. 2003)

1941 – Bob Clark, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2007)

1959 – Pat Smear, American guitarist and songwriter

1960 – David Baldacci, American lawyer and author

 

Holidays & Observances

Blogger Day

Blogs emerged in the late 1990s, empowering ordinary individuals to publish content online. Coined by Peter Merholz in 1999, blogs democratized information sharing and diverse perspectives. They offered niche content, fostering communities and interactions through comments. Blogs played a role in social and political movements, becoming a source of alternative news and citizen journalism. Their impact on the modern world has been substantial. Blogs disrupted traditional media, providing alternative news sources and diverse content. They shaped branding and marketing strategies, enabling personal branding and career advancement. Blogs became valuable resources for education and knowledge sharing. While newer platforms have emerged, blogs remain influential, shaping the digital landscape and fostering inclusivity in Internet culture. Their legacy as a transformative communication medium persists, impacting how information is disseminated and consumed in the digital age.

 

Others include.

Burkina Faso Independence Day

Our Lady of Africa

National Jamaican Patty Day

Mead Day

National Dash Cam Day

National Eisteddfod 

 


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