Today in History — May 24
1844
24 May 1844: Samuel Morse Sends First Telegraph Message
On May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse tapped out a simple yet profound message that would revolutionize human communication forever. Seated in the Supreme Court chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., Morse transmitted…
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1618
23 May 1618: The Defenestration of Prague Sparks the Thirty Years War
On May 23, 1618, Protestant nobles in Prague committed an act of violent protest that would ignite one of the most devastating conflicts in European history. In what became known as the Defenestration of Prague,…
Read more →1960
22 May 1960: The Great Chilean Earthquake Strikes
On May 22, 1960, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded struck southern Chile, forever changing our understanding of seismic events and their global impact. Measuring 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale, the Great Chilean Earthquake…
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- 23 May 1618: The Defenestration of Prague Sparks the Thirty Years WarMay 23
- 22 May 1960: The Great Chilean Earthquake StrikesMay 22
- 21 May 1927: Charles Lindbergh Completes First Solo Transatlantic FlightMay 21
- 20 May 1927: Charles Lindbergh Begins First Solo Nonstop Transatlantic FlightMay 20
- 19 May 1536: Anne Boleyn Executed at the Tower of LondonMay 19
- 18 May 1980: Mount St. Helens Erupts in Catastrophic Volcanic ExplosionMay 18
- 17 May 1954: Supreme Court Rules Segregation Unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of EducationMay 17
- 16 May 1929: First Academy Awards Ceremony Held at Hollywood Roosevelt HotelMay 16
- 15 May 1940: First McDonald\x27s Restaurant Opens in San Bernardino, CaliforniaMay 15
- 14 May 1948: David Ben-Gurion Proclaims the Establishment of the State of IsraelMay 14
- 13 May 1607: English Colonists Establish Jamestown, First Permanent Settlement in AmericaMay 13
- 12 May 1949: Soviet Union Ends the Berlin Blockade After Historic AirliftMay 12
- 11 May 1997: Deep Blue Defeats Garry Kasparov in Historic Chess MatchMay 11
- 10 May 1869: The Transcontinental Railroad United America with the Golden SpikeMay 10
- 9 May, 1960 U.S.A. Contraceptive PillMay 9