“Demeter Thesmophoros”
May 31, 1790:
United States Congress passes the first Copyright Act.
May 30, 1953:
The first successful ascent of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, was achieved by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal.
May 29, 1919:
Total Solar Eclipse Observations Confirm Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity – During a total solar eclipse on May 29, 1919, British astronomer Arthur Eddington led an expedition to Príncipe and Sobral to observe the bending of starlight around the Sun. The observations confirmed predictions of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, providing strong evidence for the theory.
May 28, 1788:
The Federalist papers—a series of 85 essays on the proposed new U.S. Constitution and on the nature of republican government, written in 1787–88 by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay—were published in book form.
May 27, 1660:
The Treaty of Copenhagen between Sweden and Denmark-Norway was signed, concluding a generation of warfare between the two powers as well as helping to establish the modern boundaries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
May 26, 1876:
The Challenger Expedition, a groundbreaking oceanographic exploration cruise carried out by the British Admiralty and the Royal Society, concluded successfully.
One of the most iconic LP’s from the 1960s Music is released by The Beatles. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sold over 8 million copies worldwide.
May 25, 1925:
Scopes Trial Begins – The Scopes Trial, also known as the “Monkey Trial,” began in Dayton, Tennessee. John T. Scopes, a high school teacher, was charged with teaching evolution in violation of a state law. The trial garnered significant attention and sparked debates over the teaching of evolution in American schools and universities.
1961: President Kennedy’s Special Message to Congress on Education – On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered a special message to Congress on education, emphasizing the importance of educational opportunities and calling for increased federal funding for education. This speech set the stage for subsequent legislation aimed at improving education, including the establishment of the federal student loan program.
May 24, 1883:
A brilliant feat of 19th-century engineering, the Brooklyn Bridge—spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan Island in New York City—opened this day in 1883, designed by civil engineer John Augustus Roebling.
May 23, 1707:
Swedish botanist and explorer Carolus Linnaeus, the first to frame principles for defining genera and species of organisms and to create a uniform system for naming them, was born in Råshult.
May 22, 1964:
President Lyndon B. Johnson, speaking at the University of Michigan, outlined the goals of his “Great Society,” saying that it “rests on abundance and liberty for all” and “demands an end to poverty and racial injustice.”
May 21, 1881:
Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.
May 20, 1862:
U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which provided 160 acres of public land virtually free of charge to those who had lived on and cultivated the land for at least five years.
May 19, 1891:
The Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which was one of the first public libraries in the United States funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, opened its doors to the public. This event marked an important milestone in providing access to educational resources and promoting literacy.
May 18, 2005:
The European Constitution, the Maastricht Treaty aimed at establishing a constitution for the European Union, was signed by representatives of EU member states in Rome.
May 17, 1865:
The International Telegraph Union (ITU), which later became the International Telecommunication Union, was established in Paris, France. It was founded as a specialized agency of the United Nations to coordinate and regulate international telecommunications and establish standards for telegraphy and later other forms of communication.
May 16, 1866:
The first transatlantic telegraph cable was completed. It connected Europe and North America, enabling near-instantaneous communication between the continents. See: Charles Tilston Bright
May 15, 1941:
British cryptographers at Bletchley Park, including Alan Turing, successfully broke the high-level German Enigma code, significantly impacting World War II. This breakthrough in code-breaking played a crucial role in Allied intelligence efforts. See: “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” 1950 Alan Turing
May 14, 1796:
English physician Edward Jenner conducted the first successful smallpox vaccination on 8-year-old James Phipps, marking a significant milestone in the development of immunization.
May 13, 1914:
The first standardized test for color blindness was introduced by the American Optical Company.
May 12, 1928:
The first fashion academy in the United States, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), was founded in New York City.
May 11 1997:
IBM’s chess-playing computer, Deep Blue, defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov for the first time in a six-game match.
May 10, 1940:
Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain.
May 9, 1960:
The US Food and Drug Administration approves the first birth control pill, called Enovid. There is contradicting information setting the date at June 23, 1960. Since that time more than 40 birth control methods have evolved through research and invention; making partial birth abortion virtually unnecessary and (in the case of government funded full birth abortion) a crime against humanity.
Since education communities are largely places for young people in the family formation stage of life, this topic is of central importance, though well outside our primary expertise, interest and resource availability (FYI: Next Generation).
May 8, 1973:
The Skylab space station is launched by NASA, becoming the first space station operated by the United States.
May 7, 1884:
Leland Stanford Jr. University, now known as Stanford University, opened its doors in Palo Alto, California. The university was founded by railroad tycoon Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane, in memory of their son, who died of typhoid fever at the age of 15.
May 6, 2023:
The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms took place at Westminster Abbey. Charles had acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. After the service, members of the royal family travelled to Buckingham Palace in a state procession and appeared on the palace’s balcony. Charles and Camilla’s coronation service was altered from past British coronations to represent multiple faiths, cultures, and communities across the United Kingdom, and was shorter than his mother’s coronation in 1953.
May 5, 1862:
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that is widely celebrated in the United States and other countries. It commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. While it is not a national holiday in Mexico, it is still observed in the state of Puebla and other parts of the country, and is celebrated around the world as a day to recognize and celebrate Mexican culture and heritage.
May 4, 1626:
Dutch explorer Peter Minuit landed on what is now Manhattan Island which would eventually become the site of New York City.
1970:
Students at Kent State University in Ohio were shot and killed by National Guard troops during a protest against the Vietnam War. The incident sparked protests and strikes at colleges and universities across the country.
May 3, 1715:
Edmund Halley observed a total solar eclipse in England and successfully used it to determine the Moon’s position relative to the Earth.
May 2, 1611:
The King James Bible was published, providing the “killer app” for the spread of the English language throughout what has been defined (through usage) as the Western World and the Anglosphere.
May 1, 1886:
During the Haymarket labor demonstration in Chicago supporting the eight-hour workday, a bomb exploded, leading to a violent clash between the police and the demonstrators. Several people were killed and many were injured, including police officers. The incident became a turning point in the labor movement, and May Day came to symbolize the struggle for workers’ rights and the fight against unjust working conditions.
“Evening Song”, Sir George Clausen (18 April 1852 – 22 November 1944), British pic.twitter.com/bxHNcTT3bD
— Orphic Inscendence (@OInscendence) March 19, 2023
