Here is what happened on May 2!

• 1945: The Allies ended the German resistance in Italy. The American Fifth Army had arrived at the Gulf of Salerno on September 9, 1944. They captured Naples on October 1 and Rome the following June. Find out why it took so long for them to completely stop the Germans in the section “The Tide Turns” in Essential Information.

• 1956: The country of Morocco declared independence. This North African country is one of the biggest in the world. Their government is a Constitutional Monarchy that has been working to balance the monarchy and modern democratic reforms. Moroccans speak Arabic and most are Muslim. Religion plays a role in personal and political arenas, and the king is believed to be the Prophet Mohammad’s descendent. Aside from religion, family is a main focus of Moroccans. Learn how this influences their lives in Countries and Cultures.

• 1963: The Children's March took place in Birmingham, Alabama. Hundreds of children held a peaceful demonstration to support desegregating the city’s schools. The police used water cannons and attack dogs on them. People across the country were horrified when they saw the brutal pictures. This was just one event that helped increase the support of civil rights in America. Read about the others in American History

• 1972: FBI director J. Edgar Hoover died. Hoover was responsible for expanding the organization’s activities, power, and use of scientific techniques in crime detection. He helped take down many big criminals and protect America during World War II. Hoover held the office for a long time and was still director when he died. Can you guess how many years? See if you’re right in Essential Biographies.

• 1972: Wrestler and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was born in Hayward, California. When he got into trouble as a teen, a teacher suggested Johnson join the football team, and that saved him. He got a full football scholarship to the University of Miami. A coach there helped him a lot as well. When Johnson couldn’t make it as a professional football player, he turned to wrestling and became a star. In 2001, he became another kind of star —a movie star as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns. He also has his own production company. Johnson’s interest in wrestling hadn’t just come from a need to earn a living. Read about his family’s history in the wrestling world in Biography for Beginners.

• 1975: Soccer superstar David Beckham was born in Leytonstone, England. In his first year, he was named Sky Sports/Panasonic Young Player of the Year. He led Manchester United to six English Premiere League titles and a 1999 win in the European Champions League. Beckham became the captain of England’s national team in 2000 and led them during two World Cups. He continued earning awards and titles when he went on to play for Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He retired with Paris Saint-Germain. Beckham was a most valuable player, and that was reflected in his paycheck. Find out how many millions he made in his contract with Real Madrid in Essential Biographies.

• 2011: Osama bin Laden was killed in his compound at Abbottabad, Pakistan. Bin Laden had been the creator and head of Al-Qaeda, which he formed because he wanted to use jihad (holy war) to make Islam the center of life in the Middle East again. This involved eliminating foreign influences and included the September 11, 2001 attacks on America. Learn about bin Laden’s privileged upbringing and entrance into the world of fundamentalist Islamic teachings in Defining Moments.