This Day in History: May 5

Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, May 5.

In 1862, the Mexican army successfully pushes back against French forces during the Battle of Puebla despite being heavily outnumbered. This victory would unofficially mark Cinco de Mayo (or the Fifth of May) a day of celebration for Mexican heritage, though it’s disputed to be more popular in the United States than Mexico due to overmarketing from beer companies.

In 1961, Alan Shepard becomes the first American to reach Earth’s orbit. He had served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before being chosen as a member of NASA’s Mercury Seven program in 1959. His flight served as a catalyst for NASA’s Apollo program: a mission to send man to the moon.

In 1978, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield open their first ice cream shop out of a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. Their products exploded in popularity as the decades passed, with pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream now filling the frozen section of grocery stores across the country.