On This Day in History – November 5

Major Events

1. 1605 – The Gunpowder Plot is foiled in England; Guy Fawkes is captured beneath Parliament.
2. 1757 – Frederick the Great wins the Battle of Rossbach during the Seven Years’ War.
3. 1872 – Suffragist Susan B. Anthony illegally casts her vote in a U.S. presidential election.
4. 1911 – Italy annexes Tripoli and Cyrenaica, forming modern-day Libya.
5. 1937 – Adolf Hitler holds a secret meeting revealing his expansionist plans in Europe.
6. 1940 – Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected to an unprecedented third term as U.S. President.
7. 1955 – Racial segregation is outlawed in the U.S. military.
8. 2006 – Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death for crimes against humanity.
9. 2007 – Writers Guild of America strike begins, halting film and television production.

Famous Birthdays

1. Art Garfunkel (born 1941) – American singer and actor, part of Simon & Garfunkel.
2. Sam Shepard (1943–2017) – American playwright and actor.
3. Peter Noone (born 1947) – British singer, Herman’s Hermits.
4. Bryan Adams (born 1959) – Canadian singer-songwriter.
5. Tilda Swinton (born 1960) – British actress and producer.
6. Tatum O’Neal (born 1963) – American actress and author.
7. Famke Janssen (born 1964) – Dutch actress, X-Men series.
8. Ryan Adams (born 1974) – American musician and songwriter.
9. Odell Beckham Jr. (born 1992) – American football player.

Notable Deaths

1. Vivien Leigh (1913–1967) – British actress, Gone With the Wind.
2. Fred MacMurray (1908–1991) – American actor.
3. Bobby Hatfield (1940–2003) – Singer, The Righteous Brothers.
4. George Peppard (1928–1994) – American actor, The A-Team.
5. James Coburn (1928–2002) – American actor.
6. John Alcock (1892–1919) – British aviator, co-pilot of the first non-stop transatlantic flight.

Holidays

• Guy Fawkes Night (UK) – Celebrated with fireworks marking the failed Gunpowder Plot.
• Bank Holiday (New Zealand) – Public holiday in some regions.
• National Doughnut Day (USA) – Dedicated to celebrating doughnuts.

Fun Facts

1. The Gunpowder Plot inspired the famous rhyme, “Remember, remember the fifth of November.”
2. Susan B. Anthony was later fined $100 for voting illegally.
3. Bryan Adams’ birthday coincides with the release of several of his hit albums.