January 5 facts for kids

January 5 is the fifth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 360 days remain until the end of the year (361 in leap years).

January 5th is a day filled with exciting historical moments and the birthdays of many famous people! From important battles and new inventions to the start of big construction projects and the birth of well-known artists, this day has seen a lot happen throughout history. Let's explore some of the key events and notable figures connected to January 5th.

Events

Historical Battles and Conflicts

• 1477 – In the Battle of Nancy, Charles the Bold was defeated and killed. His lands in Burgundy later became part of France.
• 1675 – The French army won a victory against Brandenburg in the Battle of Colmar.
• 1781 – During the American Revolutionary War, the city of Richmond, Virginia, was attacked and burned by British naval forces. These forces were led by Benedict Arnold, a former American general who had switched sides.
• 1913 – The Battle of Lemnos began during the First Balkan War. Greek Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis forced the Turkish fleet to retreat, keeping them from leaving their base for the rest of the war.
• 1991 – The 1991–92 South Ossetia War started when Georgian forces entered Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia.

Important Political and Social Changes

• 1822 – The government of Central America voted to join the First Mexican Empire.
• 1895 – The Dreyfus affair saw French army officer Alfred Dreyfus lose his rank and be sent to prison on Devil's Island.
• 1900 – Irish leader John Edward Redmond called for a revolt against British rule.
• 1912 – The sixth All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party took place. During this meeting, Vladimir Lenin and his supporters broke away to form the Bolshevik movement.
• 1919 – The German Workers' Party, which later became the Nazi Party, was founded in Munich.
• 1925 – Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming made history by becoming the first female governor in the United States.
• 1945 – The Soviet Union officially recognized the new pro-Soviet government in Poland.
• 1949 – US President Harry S. Truman announced his "Fair Deal" program in his State of the Union address. This plan aimed to improve life for Americans.
• 1957 – In a speech to the United States Congress, President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced what would become known as the Eisenhower Doctrine. This policy focused on protecting Middle Eastern countries from communism.
• 1967 – During China's Cultural Revolution, the Shanghai People's Commune was formed after revolutionaries took control from city officials.
• 1968 – Alexander Dubček came to power in Czechoslovakia, starting the period known as the "Prague Spring."
• 1976 – The Khmer Rouge announced that the new Constitution of Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia) was approved.
• 2022 – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev removed Prime Minister Asqar Mamin and declared a state of emergency due to unrest in the country.

Science, Technology, and Exploration

• 1969 – The Venera 5 space probe was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome to explore Venus.
• 1972 – US President Richard Nixon announced the start of the Space Shuttle program.
• 2005 – The dwarf planet Eris was discovered by astronomers at Palomar Observatory. This discovery later led to a new definition of what a "planet" is.
• 2014 – A communication satellite called GSAT-14 was successfully launched into space using an Indian cryogenic engine. This was a big step for India's space program.

Other Notable Events

• 1875 – The Palais Garnier, one of the world's most famous opera houses, opened in Paris.
• 1911 – Kappa Alpha Psi, one of the oldest and largest black fraternities, was founded at Indiana University.
• 1914 – The Ford Motor Company announced a new policy: an eight-hour workday and a minimum daily wage of $5, plus bonuses for its workers.
• 1933 – Construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay.
• 1941 – Amy Johnson, a famous pilot and the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia, disappeared over the River Thames and was presumed dead.
• 1944 – The Daily Mail became the first major London newspaper to be published on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
• 1953 – The famous play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett had its first performance in Paris.
• 1970 – A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Tonghai County, China. It caused between 10,000 and 15,000 deaths and injured many more.
• 1975 – The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, was struck by a ship, causing part of it to collapse and killing twelve people.
• 1993 – The oil tanker MV Braer ran aground off the Shetland Islands, spilling a large amount of crude oil.

Births

Historical Figures (Before 1900)

• 1209 – Richard of Cornwall, an English prince who was also known as the King of Germany.
• 1592 – Shah Jahan, a Mughal emperor who is famous for building the Taj Mahal.
• 1767 – Jean-Baptiste Say, a French economist who studied how economies work.
• 1779 – Stephen Decatur, a brave American naval commander.
• 1779 – Zebulon Pike, an American general and explorer who explored parts of the American West.
• 1846 – Rudolf Christoph Eucken, a German philosopher and author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• 1855 – King Camp Gillette, an American businessman who founded the Gillette Company, known for razors.
• 1876 – Konrad Adenauer, a German lawyer and politician who became the first Chancellor of West Germany after World War II.
• 1882 – Edwin Barclay, who served as the 18th president of Liberia.
• 1893 – Paramahansa Yogananda, an Indian-American guru and philosopher who taught about meditation and yoga.

Modern Personalities (1901-Present)

• 1906 – Kathleen Kenyon, an English archaeologist who made important discoveries in the Middle East.
• 1917 – Jane Wyman, a popular American actress.
• 1921 – Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, a soldier and royal from Luxembourg.
• 1928 – Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a Pakistani lawyer and politician who became the 4th President of Pakistan.
• 1928 – Walter Mondale, an American soldier, lawyer, and politician who served as the 42nd Vice President of the United States.
• 1931 – Alvin Ailey, an American dancer and choreographer who founded the famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
• 1931 – Robert Duvall, a well-known American actor and director.
• 1932 – Umberto Eco, an Italian novelist, literary critic, and philosopher.
• 1938 – Juan Carlos I of Spain, the former King of Spain.
• 1941 – Hayao Miyazaki, a famous Japanese animator, director, and screenwriter known for beloved animated films.
• 1946 – Diane Keaton, a celebrated American actress, director, and businesswoman.
• 1955 – Mamata Banerjee, an Indian lawyer and politician who became the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
• 1956 – Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a German academic and politician who served as the 14th Vice-Chancellor of Germany.
• 1959 – Clancy Brown, an American actor known for many roles in movies and TV.
• 1965 – Vinnie Jones, a British former footballer and actor.
• 1968 – Carrie Ann Inaba, an American actress, dancer, and choreographer, known from TV shows.
• 1969 – Marilyn Manson, an American singer-songwriter and actor.
• 1975 – Bradley Cooper, a popular American actor and producer.
• 1978 – January Jones, an American actress.
• 1981 – Deadmau5, a famous Canadian musician and DJ.
• 1986 – Deepika Padukone, a well-known Indian actress.
• 1992 – Suki Waterhouse, an English actress, singer-songwriter, and model.
• 2009 – Walker Scobell, a young American actor.

Deaths

Historical Figures (Before 1900)

• 1066 – Edward the Confessor, an English king.
• 1477 – Charles, Duke of Burgundy, a powerful duke who died in battle.
• 1589 – Catherine de' Medici, who was the queen of Henry II of France.
• 1762 – Empress Elizabeth of Russia, a powerful ruler of Russia.
• 1796 – Samuel Huntington, an American politician who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
• 1860 – John Neumann, a Czech-American bishop and saint in the Catholic Church.
• 1885 – Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, a Norwegian author known for collecting fairy tales.
• 1888 – Henri Herz, an Austrian pianist and composer.

Modern Personalities (1901-Present)

• 1922 – Ernest Shackleton, a famous Anglo-Irish sailor and explorer of Antarctica.
• 1933 – Calvin Coolidge, an American lawyer and politician who served as the 30th President of the United States.
• 1943 – George Washington Carver, an American botanist, educator, and inventor who made many discoveries with peanuts and other crops.
• 1970 – Max Born, a German physicist and mathematician who won the Nobel Prize in Physics.
• 1979 – Charles Mingus, an American jazz bassist, composer, and bandleader.
• 1981 – Harold Urey, an American chemist and astronomer who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• 1994 – Tip O'Neill, an American politician who was the 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
• 1998 – Sonny Bono, an American singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and politician.
• 2007 – Momofuku Ando, a Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Foods and invented instant noodles.
• 2014 – Eusébio, a legendary Mozambican-Portuguese footballer.
• 2016 – Pierre Boulez, a French pianist, composer, and conductor.
• 2018 – Thomas Bopp, an American astronomer famous for co-discovering comet Hale–Bopp.
• 2021 – Colin Bell, a well-known English footballer.
• 2022 – Kim Mi-soo, a South Korean actress and model.

Holidays and observances

• Christian Feast day:
  • Charles of Mount Argus
  • John Neumann (Catholic Church)
  • Pope Telesphorus
  • Simeon Stylites (Latin Church)
  • January 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (Harbin, China)
• Joma Shinji (Japan)
• National Bird Day (United States)
• The Twelfth day of Christmas and the Twelfth Night of Christmas. (Western Christianity)

See also

In Spanish: 5 de enero para niños