View Historical Events by Day:
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on June 5th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
Pope Clement V succeeds Pope Benedict XI, becoming the 195th pope. His election came following an eleven-month conclave after the death of Pope Benedict XI.
His election took place in Perugia after a lengthy delay caused by disputes between French and Italian factions within the cardinals and was heavily influenced by the French King Phillip IV.
Louis X of France dies, while his wife, Queen Clémence, is pregnant at the time of his death. His newborn son, John I, died shortly after birth, and then Louis's brother, Philip, claimed the throne, arguing that a woman could not inherit the crown setting a precedent for the Salic Law, which prevented women from inheriting the French throne for centuries to come.
Denmark transitions into a constitutional monarchy as King Frederik VII signs the first constitution which had been approved by the Constitutional Assembly on May 25. This event, known as Constitution Day (Grundlovsdag), marked the end of Denmark's absolute monarchy and the establishment of a parliament (Rigsdagen).
The Shogunate in Japan is abolished, marking the beginning of the Meiji Restoration.
The first automobile drives across the new Lake Washington Floating Bridge. (US 10 now Interstate 90). The bridge floated on hollow concrete pontoons, a highly innovative technology at that time and it was the largest floating structure ever built. The official dedication ceremonies were held on July 2, 1940. More
US Secretary of State George C. Marshall, delivers the commencement address at Harvard University in which he proposes the idea of a firm and formal plan for a European self-help program financed by the United States.
Marshall's speech highlighted the critical conditions in Europe after World War II and the need for US assistance to ensure political stability and peace. The Plan, is formally known as the European Recovery Program, and popularly known as the Marshal Plan significantly contributed to the economic recovery of Western Europe. Marshall was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
The Six-Day War takes place between Israel and Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The Six-Day War began as Israel launched a series of preemptive surprise airstrikes against Egyptian airfields and other facilities, launching its war effort. Egyptian forces were caught by surprise, and nearly all of Egypt's military aerial assets were destroyed, giving Israel air supremacy. Simultaneously, the Israeli military launched a ground offensive into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula as well as the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. The war ended with Israel in control of the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. More
Presidential candidate Robert Francis Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California shortly after claiming victory in that state's crucial Democratic primary. He was 42 years old. More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) the detection of a rare form of pneumonia in five homosexual men in Los Angeles. This edition of the MMWR marks the first official reporting of what will later become known as the AIDS epidemic (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). A few physicians and public health workers in coastal cities had noticed strange opportunistic infections in otherwise healthy gay men in the years prior, but the report served to put the phenomenon on record. More
