On This Day - What Happened On January 5 | Britannica

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1709 The arrival of the Great Frost Europe's coldest winter in 500 years began to take hold on this day in 1709. It would kill hundreds of thousands of people, make travel and trade nearly impossible, and disrupt two wars. Climatologists are still trying to understand the cause of what became known as the Great Frost. Read today's edition of Today in History >> © savenkov/Shutterstock.com

Featured Biography

Umberto Eco Italian author and literary critic bornJanuary 5, 1932Alessandria, ItalydiedFebruary 19, 2016 (aged 84)Milan, ItalyRob Bogaerts—Anefo/Nationaal Archief 1975 Bradley Cooper American actor 1946 Diane Keaton American actress and director 1941 Miyazaki Hayao Japanese director 1932 Umberto Eco Italian author and literary critic 1931 Robert Duvall American actor See All Biographies On This Day

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2014 Eusébio, one of the greatest Portuguese football (soccer) players of all time, died in Lisbon.© Central Press—Hulton Archive/Getty Images 2005 The dwarf planet Eris was discovered in images taken two years earlier at Palomar Observatory in California. How much do you know about astronomy and space?NASA/JPL—Caltech 1998 Daniel arap Moi was sworn in as president of Kenya for his fifth consecutive term. Take our African leaders quizWilliam Campbell—The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images 1973 Bruce Springsteen released his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. How much do you know about songwriters?Chris Walter/Retna Ltd. 1953 Waiting for Godot, a hugely influential and enduring play by Samuel Beckett, was staged for the first time, in Paris. Take our quiz about the history of theatre© Bruce Glikas—FilmMagic/Getty Images 1946 Diane Keaton, who first achieved fame in quirky comic roles before earning acclaim as a dramatic actress, was born in Los Angeles. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about A-list actorsEvan Agostini/Getty Images 1933 Construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge, which connects San Francisco with Marin county in California. When it was completed in 1937, it was the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world.© HD Fanatic/Fotolia 1931 Dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey, Jr., was born in Rogers, Texas. Test your knowledge of danceCourtesy of Zachary Freyman 1931 Actor Robert Duvall, who was known for his convincing portrayals of a diverse range of characters, was born in San Diego. Take our quiz about movies© 1979 Omni Zoetrope; photograph from a private collection 1925 Nellie Tayloe Ross assumed office in Wyoming, making her the first female governor in the United States. Discover seven female firsts in U.S. PoliticsLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C.; neg. no. LC USZ62 79430 1919 A locksmith named Anton Drexler founded the German Workers' Party, the forerunner of the Nazi Party, in Munich, Germany. Test your knowledge of Nazi Germanydpa dena/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images 1914 Following the great success of the Model T, American automobile maker Henry Ford raised his workers' pay from $2.40 to $5.00 a day and reduced the hours of the workday. Take our quiz about American industry and innovationCourtesy of the Ford Motor Company 1863 Actor, director, and producer Konstantin Stanislavsky, who developed a highly influential theory of acting called the Stanislavsky method, was born in Moscow. Take our actors and acting quizAPIC—Hulton Archive/Getty Images SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.