This Day in History – April 5

“History is always written wrong, and so always needs to be rewritten.” We’re all mere pawns in the historical system. What is important, however, is that historical events not only form our future but also provide us with a deeper and clearer perspective on life. Today, like any other day, we will be looking back to see what happened on April 5 in history.

What Events Happened in India on April 5?

1922: Demise of Pandita Ramabai
Pandita Ramabai was born in Madras, British India, on April 23, 1858. She was a social reformer who worked to improve women’s status in Indian society. In Calcutta, Bengal, she was given the names of ‘Pandita’ and ‘Saraswati’ in appreciation of her Sanskrit abilities. On April 5, 1922, Pandita Ramabai died of septic bronchitis.

Historical Events that Happened Around the World on April 5

456: Saint Patrick back in Ireland
Saint Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary bishop on April 5, 456.

1242: Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod defeated the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of the Ice.

1424: Scottish King James I returned to Scotland
After 18 years of detention at the English court, Scottish King James I returned to Scotland.

1722: Dutch navigator discovery
The Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen discovered Easter Island / Rapa Nui in the southeastern Pacific on April 5, 1722.

1764: British Parliament passed the Sugar Tax
The Sugar Tax on the American Colonies, proposed by Prime Minister George Grenville, is passed by the British Parliament.

1803: Ludwig van Beethoven’s 2nd Symphony
Ludwig van Beethoven’s 2nd Symphony in D received its first performance on April 5, 1803.

1815: Mount Tambora
After several centuries of dormancy, Mount Tambora in the Dutch East Indies erupted violently for the first time on April 5, 1815.

1818: Battle of Maipú
Chile’s independence movement, led by Bernardo O’Higgins and José de San Martin, wins a decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Maipu on April 5, 1818, killing 2,000 Spaniards and 1,000 Chilean patriots.

1887: Anne Sullivan taught the word “water” to Helen Keller 
Helen Keller is taught to speak the word “water” by Anne Sullivan on April 5, 1887.

1895: Oscar Wilde lost libel case
Oscar Wilde lost a libel lawsuit against the Marquess of Queensberry, who accused him of homosexual practises, on April 5, 1895.

1923: Inflatable tires
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company began manufacturing inflatable tyres on April 5, 1923.

1943: The 133-day South Atlantic Odyssey of Poon Lim
Poon Lim, a Chinese steward, discovered by a Brazilian fishing family off the coast of Brazil in 1943, after being adrift for 133 days after the British ship SS Benlomond was torpedoed by a German U-boat.

1955: Anthony Eden succeeded Winston Churchill
Anthony Eden succeeded Winston Churchill as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1955.

1962: Neil Armstrong took X-15 to 54,600 m
On April 5, 1962, NASA’s Neil Armstrong piloted the X-15 to a height of 54,600 metres.

1971: Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna launched an insurrection against the United Front government
Sri Lanka’s communist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) launched an insurgency against Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s United Front government.

1989: David Letterman used Dolby stereo
David Letterman became the first network TV show to use Dolby stereo.

1992: Alberto Fujimori suspended the constitution
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori rejected the constitution and dissolves Congress.

2009: North Korea launched its infamous Kwangmyngsng-2 rocket 
North Korea launched its infamous Kwangmyngsng-2 rocket on April 5, 2009. The satellite flew over mainland Japan, eliciting an immediate response from the United Nations Security Council and Six-Party Talks participants.

2009: WrestleMania XXV
The Undertaker defeated Shawn Michaels, John Cena defeats Edge and The Big Show, and Triple H defeats Randy Orton in WrestleMania XXV at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on April 5, 2009. 

2017: Kendall Jenner criticized for the Pepsi advertisement
Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi commercial was pulled on April 5, 2017, after it was criticised for trivialising demonstrations.

2020: Elizabeth II made an address
For the fifth time in her 66-year reign, British monarch Queen Elizabeth II addresses the country on April 5, 2020, adding, “We will meet again.”

2020: Boris Johnson admitted to hospital
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital on April 5, 2020, due to COVID-19.

List of Important Birthdays

1588: Thomas Hobbes
Born on April 5, 1588, in Westport, England, Thomas Hobbes, was an English philosopher (Leviathan).

1856: Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington, an American education pioneer and the first African American to appear on a US stamp, was born today in 1856.

1916: Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck, an American actor, was born today in 1916, in San Diego, California.

1982: Hayley Elizabeth Atwell
Hayley Elizabeth Atwell is a British-American actress who was raised in London and was born on today in 1982.

We hope you enjoyed learning about the events that occurred on April 5 in history. Continue to follow Leverage Edu for more insightful and educational content. You will find us on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.