On this day in history.

[scifan57]

May 05, 1961; Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. Is launched into space in his Freedom 7 space capsule for a short 15 minute sub-orbital flight, becoming the first American in space.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury-Redstone_3


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alan_Shepard_in_capsule_aboard_Freedom_7_before_launch2.jpg

 

[J. A.]

May 5, 1494: Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Jamaica and claims it for Spain.

 

[J. A.]

May 6, 1889: The Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition in Paris.





Wikipedia

 

[scifan57]

May 06, 1994; the tunnel under the English Channel is officially opened in a ceremony presided over by Queen Elizabeth and Francois Mitterand, the French President.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Tunnel


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Course_Channeltunnel_en.svg

 

[zstairlessone]

1769 Ferdinand III archduke of Austria is born

1856 Sigmund Freud is born

1312 Pope Clement V closes Council of Vienna

 

[J. A.]

1769 Ferdinand III archduke of Austria is born

1856 Sigmund Freud is born

1312 Pope Clement V closes Council of Vienna

Wow! Three events from my country! You must have searched quite a while to gather them.

 

[J. A.]

May 7, 1992: The Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on its first mission (STS-49).





Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Endeavour

 

[Richard Brown]

7th May 1945. Germany signs an unconditional surrender which ended the war in Europe.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[zstairlessone]

Wow! Three events from my country! You must have searched quite a while to gather them.

It was a slightly late birthday present

 

[scifan57]

May 07, 1915; the Lusitania is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine and sinks within 20 minutes off the south coast of Ireland.

 

[J. A.]

It was a slightly late birthday present

Thank you!

 

[J. A.]

May 8, 1903: Paul Gauguin, French painter (born 1848 ) dies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gauguin

 

[scifan57]

May 08, 1945; America and Britain celebrate VE Day, as the German forces in Western Europe surrender. Some German forces in the east don't surrender until the next day, consequently the Soviet Union celebrated VE Day on the 9th of May.

 

[J. A.]

May 08, 1945; America and Britain celebrate VE Day, as the German forces in Western Europe surrender. Some German forces in the east don't surrender until the next day, consequently the Soviet Union celebrated VE Day on the 9th of May.

Interesting! At that time, Austria already was republic again:

Karl Renner and Adolf Schärf, Leopold Kunschak and Johann Koplenig declared Austria's secession from the Third Reich by the Declaration of Independence on 27 April 1945 and set up a provisional government in Vienna under state Chancellor Renner the same day. (The date is officially named the birthday of the second republic.)

Wikipedia

 

[J. A.]

May 9, 1901: Australia opens its first parliament in Melbourne.

May 9, 1927: The Australian Parliament first convenes in Canberra.