| 1670 |
|
The
Hudson Bay Company is founded. |
| 1668 |
|
Peace
of Aix-la-Chapelle ends the War of
Devolution in France. |
| 1776 |
|
France
and Spain agree to donate arms to
American rebels fighting the
British. |
| 1797 |
|
A
mutiny in the British navy spreads
from Spithead to the rest of the
fleet. |
| 1798 |
|
The
black General Toussaint L'ouverture
forces British troops to agree to
evacuate the port of Santo Domingo. |
| 1808 |
|
The
citizens of Madrid rise up against
Napoleon. |
| 1813 |
|
Napoleon
defeats a Russian and Prussian army
at Grossgorschen. |
| 1863 |
|
Stonewall
Jackson smashes Hooker's flank at
Chancellorsville, Virginia. |
| 1865 |
|
President
Andrew Johnson offers a $100,000
reward for the capture of
Confederate President |
| 1885 |
|
King
Leopold II of Belgium establishes
the Congo Free State. |
| 1890 |
|
The
Territory of Oklahoma is created. |
| 1919 |
|
The
first U.S. air passenger service
starts. |
| 1923 |
|
Lieutenants
Okaley Kelly and John Macready take
off from New York for the West Coast
on what will become the first
successful nonstop transcontinental
flight. |
| 1941 |
|
Hostilities
break out between British forces in
Iraq and that country's pro-German
faction. |
| 1942 |
|
Admiral
Chester J. Nimitz, convinced that
the Japanese will attack Midway
Island, visits the island to review
its readiness. |
| 1945 |
|
Russian
forces take Berlin after 12 days of
fierce house-to-house fighting. |
| 1946 |
|
Prisoners
revolt at California's Alcatraz
prison. |
| 1968 |
|
The
U.S. Army attacks Nhi Ha in South
Vietnam and begins a fourteen-day
battle to wrestle it away from
Vietnamese Communists. |
| 1970 |
|
Student
anti-war protesters at Ohio's Kent
State University burn down the
campus ROTC building. The National
Guard takes control of campus. |
Born on May 2 |
| 1729 |
|
Catherine
II, Czarina of Russia. |
| 1837 |
|
Henry
Martyn Roberts, parlimentarian (Robert's
Rules of Order). |
| 1860 |
|
William
Maddock Bayliss, British
physiologist, co-discoverer of
hormones. |
| 1866 |
|
Jesse
Lazear, American physician and
researcher of yellow fever. |
| 1877 |
|
Vernon
Castle, ballroom dancer. |
| 1892 |
|
Manfred
von Richthofen (the Red Baron),
German fighter ace of World War I. |
| 1895 |
|
Lorenz
Milton Hart, lyricist, collaborator
with Richard Rodgers. |
| 1901 |
|
Bing
[Harry Lillis] Crosby, singer and
actor. |
| 1903 |
|
Benjamin
Spock, pediatrician, author and
activist. |
| 1921 |
|
Satyajit
Ray, Indian film director (Aparajito,
The World of Apu). |
