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Historical events on December 5

DECEMBER 5, 1914
The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition began in an attempt to make the first land crossing of Antarctica.
The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917 is considered to be the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Conceived Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1807
Napoleonic Wars: British ships began a raid on Griessie after the Dutch captain refused a British demand for surrender.
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a global series of conflicts fought between the French First Republic (1803–1804)/First French Empire (1804–1815) under the Read More
DECEMBER 5, 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.
Edward Gough Whitlam was the 21st prime minister of Australia, serving from December 1972 to November 1975. To date the longest-serving federal Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1945
Flight 19, a squadron of five U.S. Navy torpedo bombers, disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle.
Flight 19 was the designation of a group of five General Motors TBF Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1916
Amid the First World War and following his loss of support in Parliament, British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith resigned.
World War I or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1757
Seven Years' War: Prussian troops under Frederick the Great defeated Austrian forces at the Battle of Leuthen (pictured).
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict involving most of the European great powers. It was primarily fought in Central Read More
DECEMBER 5, 2007
A nineteen-year-old gunman went on a shooting spree at a shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S., killing nine people, including himself.
On December 5, 2007, 19-year-old Robert Hawkins shot and killed eight people and wounded five others in a Von Maur department store Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1995
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 56 crashed shortly after takeoff from Nakhchivan Airport, killing 52 people on board.
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight A-56 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, from Nakhchivan Airport to Baku, which crashed whilst Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1952
The "Great Smog of London" began and lasted for five days, causing 12,000 deaths and leading to the Clean Air Act 1956.
The Great Smog of London, or Great Smog of 1952, was a severe air pollution event that affected London, England, in December 1952. Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1918
National Guards and Sokol volunteers protested in Zagreb, leading to an armed clash with regiments of the Home Guard and former Common Army.
The Sokol movement is an all-age gymnastics organization founded in Prague in the Czech lands of Austria-Hungary in 1862 by Miroslav Tyrš Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1936
The 1936 Soviet constitution, also known as the "Stalin constitution", was adopted.
The 1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union, also known as the Stalin Constitution, was the constitution of the Soviet Union adopted on 5 December 1936.
DECEMBER 5, 1456
The first of two major earthquakes struck the Kingdom of Naples, killing up to 70,000 people.
On December 5, 1456, the largest earthquake to occur on the Italian Peninsula in historical times struck the Kingdom of Naples. The Read More
DECEMBER 5, 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.
The American Revolutionary War, also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the Read More
DECEMBER 5, 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.
Pope Innocent VIII, born Giovanni Battista Cybo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1958
Britain's first motorway, the Preston Bypass, opened to the public.
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Read More
DECEMBER 5, 1939
The remains of Pedro II of Brazil, who was ousted and exiled in a republican coup, were buried after being repatriated.
Dom Pedro II, nicknamed the Magnanimous, was the second and last monarch of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years.

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