This Day In History : July 5

1994 United States

Amazon.com founded in Bellevue, Washington by Jeff Bezos

Amazon.com was actually founded by Jeff Bezos in Seattle, Washington, not Bellevue. The company was founded on July 5, 1994. Amazon initially offered a selection of books online. Over time, Amazon expanded its offerings to include a wide range of products and services, becoming one of the world's largest and most influential e-commerce and technology companies.

Also on This Day in History July 5

Discover what happened on July 5 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, July 5
  • 1586 Thomas Hooker

    English-American settler who founded the Colony of Connecticut

  • 1810 P.T. Barnum

    American businessman who co-founded Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus

  • 1904 Ernst Mayr

    German biologist who formulated the biological species concept

  • 1867 Andrew Ellicott Douglass

    American astronomer and inventor of dendrochronology (tree-ring dating)

  • 1891 John H. Northrop

    American biochemist (crystallized enzymes (Nobel 1946))

Deaths on This Day, July 5
  • 1826 Stamford Raffles

    British statesman and founder of Singapore

  • 1833 Nicéphore Niépce

    French inventor and pioneer of photography

  • 1996 Clyde Wiegand

    American physicist ( co-discovered the antiproton)

  • 1819 William Cornwallis

    English admiral and politician

  • 1937 Chester Greenwood

    American inventor (invented earmuffs at 15)

1975

Cape Verde gains its independence from Portugal

Cape Verde gained its independence from Portugal on July 5, 1975. This marked the end of Portuguese colonial rule and the establishment of Cape Verde as a sovereign nation in West Africa.
1811

Venezuelan Declaration of Independence

The Venezuelan Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on July 5, 1811, in Caracas, Venezuela. This declaration marked Venezuela's separation from Spanish colonial rule and the beginning of its journey toward independence. It was a pivotal moment in Latin American history and set the stage for further independence movements across the region.
1935

National Labor Relations Act

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), also known as the Wagner Act, was enacted by the United States Congress on July 5, 1935. This landmark legislation protects the rights of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers. It also establishes the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to enforce these rights and mediate labor disputes.
1948

National Health Service established in the UK

The National Health Service (NHS) was established in the United Kingdom on July 5, 1948. This marked the creation of a publicly funded healthcare system that provides comprehensive healthcare services to all residents of the UK, free at the point of use. The establishment of the NHS was a landmark moment in British history and remains a cornerstone of the country's welfare state.
2023

Hottest global temperature ever recorded - for third consecutive day - as average global temperature tops 17.18 degrees Celsius, tying with July 5, 2023

The hottest global temperature ever recorded, tying with July 4, 2023, occurred on July 5, 2023, when the average global temperature topped 17.18 degrees Celsius. This marked the third consecutive day of record-breaking heat.
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