On This Day for 5/5 - Cinco de Mayo is celebrated, American racehorse Secretariat wins the Kentucky Derby, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day May 5 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Biography of the Day [Karl Marx.]( [Karl Marx]( Revolutionary, historian, and economist [Karl Marx]( born in Prussia on this day in 1818, wrote (with [Friedrich Engels]( [The Communist Manifesto]( (1848), the most celebrated pamphlet in the history of the socialist movement. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [Cinco de Mayo celebrators]( 1862: Mexican victory in the Battle of Puebla On this day in 1862, [Mexico]( repelled the French forces of [Napoleon III]( at the [Battle of Puebla]( a victory that became a symbol of resistance to foreign domination and is now celebrated as a national holiday, [Cinco de Mayo](. Explore more key moments in history for just $39.95 [Learn more >>]( [Sign up now]( for our monthly newsletter, showcasing articles hand-picked by our editors! More Events On This Day 2001: American publisher [Clifton Keith Hillegass]( the creator of the popular series of literary study guides known as Cliff Notes, died in Nebraska. 1988: [Adele]( pop singer and songwriter [Adele]( soulful emotive voice and traditionally crafted songs made her one of the most broadly popular performers of her generation—was born. 1973: [statue of Secretariat at Belmont Park]( racehorse [Secretariat]( (1970–89) won the [Kentucky Derby]( en route to capturing the [U.S. Triple Crown]( which also includes the [Preakness Stakes]( and the [Belmont Stakes](. 1961: [Alan Shepard…]( B. Shepard, Jr.]( made a 15-minute suborbital flight in the Freedom 7 spacecraft, becoming the first U.S. astronaut to travel in space. 1960: [U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers receiving a 10-year sentence for spying, Moscow, 1960.…]( Premier [Nikita Khrushchev]( told the Supreme Soviet of the [U.S.S.R.]( that a U.S. spy plane piloted by [Francis Gary Powers]( had been shot down on May 1 over the Soviet Union, referring to the flight as an [“aggressive act”]( by the United States. 1904: [Cy Young]( [baseball]( pitcher [Cy Young]( registered the first perfect game (no player reaching first base) of the modern era, for the Red Sox against the Philadelphia Athletics. 1864: [Soldiers, wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, resting outside a building in Fredericksburg, Virginia, May 20, 1864.]( commanded by the generals [Ulysses S. Grant]( of the Union and [Robert E. Lee]( of the Confederacy engaged in the [Battle of the Wilderness]( near Fredericksburg, Virginia, during the [American Civil War](. 1813: [Søren Kierkegaard, drawing by Christian Kierkegaard, 1840; in a private collection.]( religious philosopher [Søren Kierkegaard]( regarded as the founder of [existentialist philosophy]( was born in Copenhagen. 1789: At the beginning of the [French Revolution]( the [Estates-General]( met for the first time since 1614 at Versailles and debated the role of the [Third Estate](. 1640: [Portrait of Charles I Hunting, oil painting by Sir Anthony Van Dyck.…]( [Charles I]( of England dissolved the [Short Parliament]( the first parliament to be summoned in 11 years. A Great Gift Idea from The Britannica Store [1768 Encyclopaedia Britannica Replica Set]( The handsome three-volume reproduction is so beautifully executed that it's almost indistinguishable from the 1768 original, right down to the natural age spots and watermarks on the pages. A must-have for collectors of history or vintage books, the set lends an unmistakable air of prestige to any home or office. [Get yours today]( Our Best-Selling Software! the world's most trusted and authoritative information for [only $39.95](. Britannica on Facebook a fan]( on Facebook and get updated Britannica content in your news feed! Britannica on Twitter @Britannica]( and enjoy daily tweets relating to the news stories of the day! [Home]( [Advocacy for Animals]( [Newsletters]( [Feedback]( [Help]( Please note that if you do not open or click on any On This Day email during any consecutive 14-day period, we reserve the right to remove your address from the active mailing list. This policy does not apply to RSS feeds. Share: Was this message forwarded to you? [Click here]( and we'll start sending you the On This Day newsletters. This message has been sent to {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe [click here](. To unsubscribe by postal mail, send your request to: Encyclopaedia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle St. - Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60654 US ATTN: Customer Service - On This Day © 2017 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( — [Help](