1. In 1864, Minnesota Governor Alexander Ramsey declared May 5 as a day of prayer and fasting for the Union Army during the Civil War. This proclamation encouraged Minnesotans to reflect on the sacrifices of soldiers and their families in the fight for national unity.

2. On May 5, 1893, Minnesota Governor William Merriam signed a bill that made Minnesota the first state in the country to establish a Women's Auxiliary to the National Guard. This organization allowed women to participate in military training and support services during times of war or emergency.

3. In 1923, the Minnesota Twins played their first game as a professional baseball team at Nicollet Park in Minneapolis. The team, which later became the Minnesota Vikings, held its home games at the park until 1955.

4. May 5, 1945, marked the end of a two-week-long coal miners' strike in northern Minnesota. The strike, which involved over 13,000 workers, resulted in increased wages and improved working conditions for miners in the region.

5. On May 5, 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into space on the Freedom 7 spacecraft. Shepard's historic 15-minute flight was the beginning of the U.S. space program's efforts to catch up with the Soviet Union in the Cold War space race.