This Day in History – August 5, 2011

1100 Henry I is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey. 1305 William Wallace who led the Scottish resistance against England is captured by the English near Glasgow and transported to London where he is put on trial and executed. 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert establishes the first English colony in North America at what is now St John’s Newfoundland. 1620 The Mayflower departs from Southampton England on its first attempt to reach North America. 1689 1,500 Iroquois attack the village of Lachine in New France. 1735 Freedom of the press: New York Weekly Journal writer John Peter Zenger is acquitted of seditious libel against the royal governor of New York on the basis that what he had published was true. 1763 Pontiac’s War: Battle of Bushy Run British forces led by Henry Bouquet defeat Chief Pontiac’s Indians at Bushy Run. 1775 1st Spanish ship San Carlos enters SF Bay 1837 1st ascent of Mt Marcy (5,344′) highest in Adirondack NY 1846 Oregon country divided between US & Britain at 49th parallel 1858 Cyrus West Field and others complete the first transatlantic telegraph cable after several unsuccessful attempts. It will operate for less than a month. 1861 American Civil War: in order to help pay for the war effort the United States government levies the first income tax as part of the Revenue Act of 1861 (3% of all incomes over US $800; rescinded in 1872). 1861 The United States Army abolishes flogging. 1862 American Civil War: Battle of Baton Rouge along the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge Louisiana Confederate troops drive Union forces back into the city. 1864 Spectrum of a comet observed for 1st time by Giovanni Donati 1864 American Civil War: the Battle of Mobile Bay begins at Mobile Bay near Mobile Alabama Admiral David Farragut leads a Union flotilla through Confederate defenses and seals one of the last major Southern ports. Admiral David Farragut orders “Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead!” 1884 The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe’s Island (now Liberty Island) in New York Harbor. 1888 Bertha Benz drives from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back in the first long distance automobile trip commemorated as the Bertha Benz Memorial Route since 2008. 1914 In Cleveland Ohio the first electric traffic light is installed. 1923 1st American to swim the English Channel (Henry Sullivan) 1924 Comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” by Harold Gray debuts 1926 Houdini stays in a coffin under water for over 1hr. 1944 World War II: possibly the biggest prison breakout in history occurs as 545 Japanese POWs attempt to escape outside the town of Cowra New South Wales Australia. 1944 World War II: Polish insurgents liberate a German labor camp in Warsaw freeing 348 Jewish prisoners. 1944 World War II: The Nazis begin a three-day massacre of anywhere between 40,000 and 100,000 civilians and prisoners of war in Wola Poland. 1945 Atom Bomb dropped on Hiroshima (Aug 6th in Japan) 1949 In Ecuador an earthquake destroys 50 towns and kills more than 6,000. 1949 The Mann Gulch fire kills 13 firefighters in Montana. 1953 Operation “Big Switch” Korean War prisoner exchanged at Panmunjom 1954 Boxing Hall of Fame’s 1st election selects 24 modern & 15 pioneers 1957 American Bandstand a show dedicated to the teenage “baby-boomers” by playing the songs and showing popular dances of the time debuts on the ABC television network. 1962 1st quasar located by radio 1962 Nelson Mandela is jailed. He would not be released until 1990. 1963 The United States the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union sign a nuclear test ban treaty. 1966 Martin Luther King Jr stoned during Chicago march 1967 1st time an AFL team beats an NFL team Broncos beats Detroit 13-7 1967 Bobby Gentry releases her only hit “Ode to Billy Joe” 1967 Pirate Radio Station 333 (Radio Britain) & Radio London close down 1969 Mariner program: Mariner 7 makes its closest fly-by of Mars (3,524 kilometers). 1974 Vietnam War: the U.S. Congress places a $1 billion dollar limit on military aid to South Vietnam. 1981 Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work. 1986 It’s revealed Andrew Wyeth had secretly created 240 drawings & paintings of his neighbor Helga Testorf in Chadds Ford Pa 1988 Mario Biaggi (Rep-D-NY) convicted of racketeering resigns seat 2010 2010 Copiapó mining accident occurs trapping 33 Chilean miners approximately 2,300 ft (700 m) below the ground.]]]]> ]]>