Inventions, firsts, and turning points tied to today’s date — each one sourced and dated.
On May 5, 1961, a 15-minute hop above the Atlantic turned a test pilot into the first American to ride a rocket past the edge of space.
On May 5, 1862, an outnumbered Mexican army turned back one of Europe's finest forces at Puebla, and Cinco de Mayo was born.
On May 5, 1821, the emperor who had redrawn Europe died of stomach cancer in a damp house on one of the loneliest islands on Earth.
