On May 5, 1955, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) became a fully sovereign nation. Four days later on May 9, West Germany joined NATO. West Germany then became a founding member of the European Economic Community in 1958. Read the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz), which served as the constitution of West Germany and became the governing document of the reunited Germany in 1990.

On May 5, 1925, high school science teacher John Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution in the Tennessee public schools. Learn more about the Scopes Monkey Trial.