This Day in History: May 5

[Fenris]

I would like to start a daily history thread in the Lounge highlighting events from the past that occurred on the day on which they were posted. More succinctly, I'd like to do a "This Day in History" thread. If no one bothers to read it or respond, that's fine. It's there if you want to read it. I just think it's a nice way to highlight the past.

MAY 5

Cinco de Mayo ("Fifth of May" in Spanish) is a national holiday in Mexico which commemorates the victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza over the French expeditionary forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The battle was won, but the war was eventually lost. Napoleon III sent 30,000 soldiers to occupy the country and installed Archduke Maximilian of Austria as the ruler of Mexico. Maximilian's reign was short, and by 1867 native Mexicans deposed the French puppet and regained control of their country. Contrary to popular belief in the United States, Cinco de Mayo does not mark Mexican independence day.

The Battle of the Wilderness began on this day in 1864. Wilderness, fought in the Wilderness of Spotsylvania in central Virginia, was the first battle of Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia campaign against General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. In a battle lasting only 2 days, Lee inflicted heavy casualties on Grant's army, a total of 17,666 according to Army of the Potomac records. Lee, on the other hand, lost only about 7,500 men and ended the battle in possession of more of the field than it held when the fighting started. But at this point in the war, that wasn't sufficient.

The city of Addis Ababa was taken by Italian Fascist forces this day in 1936, completing Mussolini's conquest of Ethiopia. The country was annexed on May 9th.

The Council of Europe was formed on this day in 1949 following a speech given by Winston Churchill at the University of Zurich on September 19, 1946 calling for a "United States of Europe", similar to the United States of America, in the wake of the events of World War II. Membership is open to all European states which accept the principle of the rule of law and guarantee fundamental human rights and freedoms to their citizens. Today there are 45 member states. The Council of Europe is responsible for the notable European symbols, the flag with 12 golden stars (upward pointing) arranged in a circle on a blue background since 1955.



Alan Shepard became the first American in space on this date in 1961 in his Freedom 7 spacecraft, which carried him to an altitude of 116 statute miles.



The Twenty-Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on this date in 1992, 200 years after it had been first proposed.

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

For more information on the above topics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

[Fenris]

1. kick

:kick:

[myrna minx]

2. Thank you so much for this.

I love the idea. :toast: