In History, Today on August 5

Today we explore events from the year 1100 to the year 2019. Events span the globe, from the countries of Scotland, Newfoundland, United States, South Africa, United Kingdom, Croatia, India, England, Soviet Union, Indonesia, Chile.

1100

London, England

Henry I was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.

1305

Glasgow, Scotland

William Wallace, leader of the Scottish resistance against England, was captured by the English near Glasgow.

1583

St. John's, Newfoundland

Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for the English crown, marking the beginning of the British Empire.

1620

Southampton, England

The Mayflower departed from Southampton, England, on its first attempt to reach North America.

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1861

Washington, D.C., United States

The United States Army abolished flogging as a form of punishment.

1864

Mobile Bay, United States

During the American Civil War, the Battle of Mobile Bay took place, where Union forces under Admiral David Farragut won a decisive victory over Confederate forces.

1884

New York City, United States

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

1914

Cleveland, United States

The first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio.

1926

Worcester, United States

Harry Houdini performed his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping.

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1962

Howick, South Africa

Nelson Mandela was arrested by South African police near Howick and charged with inciting workers to strike and leaving the country without a passport.

1963

Moscow, Soviet Union

The United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union signed the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, prohibiting all test detonations of nuclear weapons except underground.

1966

London, United Kingdom

The Beatles released their album 'Revolver' in the United Kingdom.

1974

Washington, D.C., United States

The U.S. Congress placed a $1 billion limit on military aid to South Vietnam, marking a significant step in the winding down of American involvement in the Vietnam War.

1981

Washington, D.C., United States

President Ronald Reagan fired over 11,000 striking air traffic controllers who ignored his order to return to work.

1995

Knin, Croatia

The Croatian Army launched Operation Storm, a major offensive during the Croatian War of Independence.

2002

New York City, United States

The United Nations Security Council held a meeting to discuss the situation in Iraq, focusing on the country's compliance with weapons inspections and the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

2003

Jakarta, Indonesia

A car bomb exploded outside the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, killing 12 people and injuring over 150. The attack was attributed to the militant Islamist group Jemaah Islamiyah.

2010

Copiapó, Chile

A cave-in at the San José copper-gold mine in northern Chile trapped 33 miners underground. The miners were eventually rescued after 69 days, in a dramatic operation that captured global attention.

2011

New York City, United States

Standard & Poor's downgraded the United States' credit rating from AAA to AA+, marking the first time the U.S. had been downgraded from its top-tier rating. This followed a contentious debate over raising the U.S. debt ceiling.

2012

Oak Creek, United States

A gunman opened fire at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six people and wounding four others before taking his own life. The attack was classified as an act of domestic terrorism.

2015

Durango, United States

The Environmental Protection Agency accidentally released three million gallons of toxic waste into the Animas River in Colorado, causing significant environmental damage.

2019

Srinagar, India

The Indian government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, leading to widespread unrest and a significant military presence in the region.