This Week In History, April 1-5

April 1, 2013 — -- intro: From historic appointments and declarations to a tragic assassination, the first week of April has seen some of history's big political happenings. Take a look at what has happened in decades and centuries past for the week of April 1 to 5.

quicklist:1title: April 1text:1789 -- First U.S. House of Representatives Elected: The U.S. House of Representatives elected Rep. Fredrick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania as the first speaker of the House.

Muhlenberg was a Lutheran minister and former president of the Pennsylvania convention, where he oversaw the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He studied theology at Germany's University of Halle and preached all over Pennsylvania and New York before entering politics.

1945 -- U.S. Troops Land in Okinawa, Japan: U.S. troops landed in Okinawa, Japan, with the mission to seize the island as a base for ground and air forces. On this day, more than 1,300 ships docked at the island and more than 50,000 ground troops attacked on land.

Once on land, the Americans fought against 120,000 Japanese troops. Although U.S. forces would suffer 50,000 dead or wounded in the face of Japanese kamikaze air attacks, they eventually won. At the end of this battle, Japanese dead and wounded were estimated to be around 117,000.

media:18855315

quicklist:2title: April 2text:1863 -- Confederate Women Riot in Richmond, Va.: In response to adverse effects of the Civil War, hundreds of women rioted in the streets of Richmond, Va. The women demanded the confederate government release emergency food supplies. The women looted stores and damaged store property as they made their way down the city streets.

Confederate President Jefferson Davis ordered the mob to disperse and said that if they did not, he would order local militia to fire upon them. When the riot ended, 44 women were arrested, but no shots were fired.

1917 - President Wilson Asks Congress for Declaration of War: On this day, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. Three years before, the U.S. had proclaimed neutrality at the beginning of World War I, but tensions increased after the Germans attacked the British ship, Lusitania, killing both British and American passengers.

In 1917, Wilson broke off diplomatic ties with Germany after its navy began a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. The policy resulted in the sinking of the American ship, Housatonic. But the final straw occurred on April 1 when the U.S. steamer Aztec was torpedoed by German forces.

The following day, President Wilson spoke about the importance of "making the world safe for democracy" while making the case for fighting against Germany.

media:18855244

quicklist:3title: April 3text:1945 -- President Truman Signs Marshall Plan: President Harry Truman authorized a program to help European nations recover from devastation caused by World War II. The plan became known as the Marshall Plan, named after then-U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, who famously advocated for U.S. assistance to Europe.

As a part of the Marshall Plan, the Economic Cooperation Administration distributed $13 billion in aid over the course of four years, beginning in 1948.