On This Day in History – February 5

Major Events

• 62 – An earthquake devastates the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, causing widespread destruction years before Mount Vesuvius erupts.
• 1597 – A group of early Christians in Japan are martyred in Nagasaki, marking a significant moment in the history of Christianity in East Asia.
• 1818 – Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, formerly a French general under Napoleon, becomes King Charles XIV John of Sweden and Norway.
• 1852 – The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg opens to the public, becoming one of the world’s largest art museums.
• 1917 – Mexico adopts its current constitution, establishing social rights and land reforms following the Mexican Revolution.
• 1937 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposes a plan to expand the U.S. Supreme Court, sparking national controversy.
• 1953 – Walt Disney’s animated film Peter Pan premieres in the United States.
• 1971 – Astronaut Alan Shepard hits a golf ball on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission.
• 1987 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 2,000 points for the first time.
• 2019 – Venezuela experiences a major political crisis after President Nicolás Maduro is challenged by opposition leader Juan Guaidó.

Famous Birthdays

• Christopher Marlowe – English playwright and poet (1564–1593)
• Hank Aaron – American baseball legend (1934–2021)
• Barbara Hershey – American actress (1948)
• Darren Criss – American actor and singer (1987)
• Laura Linney – American actress (1964)
• Michael Sheen – Welsh actor (1969)
• Cristiano Ronaldo – Portuguese footballer (1985)
• Sara Evans – American country singer (1971)
• Adela Noriega – Mexican actress (1969)

Notable Deaths

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi – Japanese feudal lord and unifier (1598, born 1537)
• George Harrison – English musician, member of The Beatles (2001, born 1943)
• Louise Linton – British novelist (1938, born 1887)
• Joseph Goebbels – German Nazi propaganda minister (1945, born 1897)
• Denise Darcel – French actress (2011, born 1924)
• Richard Briers – British actor (2013, born 1934)
• Terry Southerland – American musician (2009, born 1955)
• Paula Hawkins – American academic figure (1998, born 1925)
• Stephen McNallen – American author (2022, born 1948)

Holidays

• Constitution Day – Mexico
• Kashmir Solidarity Day – Pakistan
• Runeberg’s Day – Finland
• Saint Agatha’s Day – Observed in parts of Europe

Fun Facts

• Alan Shepard’s Moon golf shot was described as traveling “miles and miles” due to low gravity.
• The Hermitage Museum houses over three million works of art.
• Mexico’s 1917 constitution was one of the first to guarantee social rights.
• Christopher Marlowe influenced William Shakespeare’s early writing style.
• Pompeii continued to thrive after the earthquake, unaware of its later fate.
• February 5 has been associated with artistic and political milestones across centuries.