12 History Lessons + 7 Births & 7 Deaths for January 5, 2026
Today’s History
- 1066 – Edward the Confessor, King of England, dies without a clear heir, setting off the succession crisis that culminates in the Norman Conquest later that year.
- 1675 – The Battle of Colmar is fought during the Franco-Dutch War, part of Louis XIV’s effort to expand French power in central Europe.
- 1781 – American Revolutionary War: British forces defeat Patriot militia at the Battle of Jersey, Virginia, as the war grinds on in the South.
- 1914 – Ford Motor Company announces a groundbreaking $5-per-day minimum wage for workers, reshaping industrial labor standards and consumer economics.
- 1919 – Germany’s new Weimar Constitution is provisionally adopted, laying the framework for the post–World War I German republic.
- 1925 – Nellie Tayloe Ross is sworn in as the first female governor in U.S. history, taking office in Wyoming.
- 1933 – Construction begins on the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the most ambitious and iconic infrastructure projects of the 20th century.
- 1945 – World War II: The Soviet Red Army begins a major offensive toward Germany from the east, accelerating the collapse of Nazi defenses.
- 1957 – Bo Diddley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show, introducing a new rhythmic style that becomes foundational to rock and roll.
- 1972 – President Richard Nixon orders the development of the Space Shuttle program, shaping the next phase of U.S. human spaceflight.
- 2004 – NASA’s Mars rover Spirit begins transmitting detailed surface images, confirming a successful landing the previous day.
- 2021 – The U.S. Senate certifies the 2020 presidential election results following the January 6 congressional session, formalizing the transition of power.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1931 – Robert Duvall – American actor and director, Academy Award winner with a career spanning classic and modern cinema. (95)
- 1932 – Umberto Eco – Italian novelist, philosopher, and semiotician, best known for The Name of the Rose. (94)
- 1946 – Diane Keaton – American actor and director, Oscar winner and defining figure of New Hollywood cinema. (80)
- 1969 – Marilyn Manson – American musician and cultural provocateur, influential in 1990s industrial rock. (57)
- 1970 – Heather Graham – American actor known for film and television roles across comedy and drama. (56)
- 1978 – January Jones – American actor best known for Mad Men. (48)
- 1997 – Theo Von – American comedian and podcast host, a prominent voice in modern stand-up and digital comedy. (29)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1527 – Felix Manz – Anabaptist leader executed in Zurich, one of the earliest martyrs of the Radical Reformation. (c. 30s)
- 1939 – Amelia Earhart – American aviator and aviation pioneer, legally declared dead after her disappearance during a 1937 flight. (41)
- 1964 – Alfred R. McIntosh – American military leader and World War II commander. (71)
- 1973 – James Stewart (Jimmy Stewart) – American actor and military officer, one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars. (89)
- 1996 – Sonny Bono – American singer, actor, and U.S. congressman, killed in a skiing accident. (62)
- 2009 – Freddie Hubbard – American jazz trumpeter, a major innovator in hard bop and post-bop jazz. (70)
- 2019 – Paul Hester – Australian drummer and songwriter, co-founder of Crowded House. (66)
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