Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/December 5
- 1492 - Christopher Columbus became the first European to set foot on the island of Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic).
- 1560 - Francis II of France died and was succeeded by Charles IX of France.
- 1848 - California Gold Rush: In a message before Congress, U.S. President James K. Polk confirms that large amounts of gold had been discovered in northern California.
- 1979 - Sonia Johnson was formally excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for her outspoken criticism of the church concerning the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Recent days: December 4 – December 3 – December 2