1) May 5, 1865 marks the end of the American Civil War in Georgia as Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston signed his surrender to Union General William T. Sherman in Durham Station, North Carolina.

2) On May 5, 1945, the German Army officially surrendered to the Allied Forces, effectively ending World War II in Europe. In Georgia, celebrations erupted across the state as news of the victory spread.

3) In 1823, the Georgia State Legislature officially recognized the town of Milledgeville as the capital of Georgia. This was on May 5.

4) May 5, 1961 was a significant day for the United States and the Soviet Union as each nation launched their first human to space. The Soviet cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first person to orbit Earth, while American astronaut, Alan Shepard, became the first American in space.

5) On May 5, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed an act that authorized the construction of a military training camp in northeast Georgia. The camp would later become known as Camp Toccoa and play a critical role in training soldiers during World War II, including the famed Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division.