What Happened on July 5?

July 5 is National Graham Cracker Day — perfect for s'mores! — on the same date the bikini debuted in Paris in 1946, Dolly the sheep was born in 1996, Newton published Principia in 1687, and Venezuela declared independence in 1811.

• 1687 — Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica

  On July 5, 1687, Isaac Newton's Principia laid out laws of motion and gravity — foundations of classical physics. Read the full story →

• 1811 — Venezuela declares independence from Spain

  On July 5, 1811, Venezuelan delegates signed a declaration breaking from Spanish rule — launching years of war for South American freedom. Read the full story →

• 1935 — President Roosevelt signs the National Labor Relations Act

  On July 5, 1935, the NLRA guaranteed workers the right to organize unions and bargain collectively without employer retaliation. Read the full story →

• 1945 — Winston Churchill loses the British general election

  On July 5, 1945, British voters went to the polls and ousted wartime hero Winston Churchill — results announced July 26 shocked the world. Read the full story →

• 1946 — French designer Louis Réard unveils the bikini swimsuit

  On July 5, 1946, Louis Réard showed a two-piece swimsuit named after the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests — shocking beach fashion norms. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

P.T. Barnum (1810–1891) · George W. Bush (1946) · Edie Falco (1963) · Huey Lewis (1950)

Days & observances

National Graham Cracker Day · National Bikini Day · National Apple Turnover Day · National Workaholics Day