Historical Events on February 5

Space Shuttle Columbia

Here are some historical events that happened on February 5:

1631: Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island and a prominent advocate for religious freedom, arrived in Boston from England.

1783: Sweden recognized the independence of the United States.

1885: King Leopold II of Belgium established the Congo Free State, which would later become the Belgian Congo.

1917: The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was adopted.

1919: Charlie Chaplin's first film, "Making a Living," was released.

1971: Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell conducted the first successful lunar landing, while Stuart Roosa orbited above in the command module.

1988: Manuel Noriega, the military dictator of Panama, was indicted on drug trafficking charges.

1994: Byron De La Beckwith was convicted in the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, more than 30 years after the crime.

2003: The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, tragically killing all seven crew members.

2012: The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning the Syrian government's violent crackdown on protesters.

These events span a wide range of topics and periods, reflecting the diversity of historical occurrences on February 5th.