The middle of May has historically been a season of monumental shifts in the American landscape. From the earliest days of colonial settlement at Jamestown to the expansionist fervor of the Mexican-American War and the transformative judicial rulings of the late 19th century, this week marks several “firsts” that defined the nation.
May 12
- 1780 – The Fall of Charleston: During the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Army suffered its greatest defeat when British forces captured Charleston, South Carolina, after a six-week siege. Nearly 5,000 Continental soldiers were taken prisoner.
- 1933 – The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA): As part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, this landmark legislation was signed into law to provide relief to farmers by paying them to reduce crop production, effectively raising the value of agricultural goods during the Great Depression.
May 13
- 1607 – Settlement of Jamestown: The first permanent English settlement in North America was established on the banks of the James River in Virginia. This site would become the capital of the colony for nearly a century.
- 1846 – Declaration of War on Mexico: Following rising tensions over the annexation of Texas and border skirmishes, the United States Congress overwhelmingly approved President James K. Polk’s request to declare war on Mexico, beginning a conflict that would eventually expand U.S. territory to the Pacific.
May 14
- 1804 – Lewis and Clark Depart: The Corps of Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, set out from Camp Dubois near present-day Hartford, Illinois. Their mission was to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase and find a water route to the Pacific Ocean.
- 1973 – Skylab Launch: The United States launched its first space station, Skylab, into orbit. Despite suffering damage during liftoff, it successfully hosted three crews of astronauts and conducted hundreds of scientific experiments over its six-year lifespan.
May 15
- 1928 – Mickey Mouse Debuts: While Steamboat Willie is more famous, Mickey and Minnie Mouse made their very first (silent) appearance in the animated short Plane Crazy during a test screening on this day.
- 1940 – The First McDonald’s Opens: Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Though it began as a BBQ drive-in, it eventually evolved into the “Speedee Service System” that revolutionized the global fast-food industry.
May 16
- 1866 – The Nickel is Introduced: President Andrew Johnson signed the act authorizing the coinage of the five-cent piece composed of copper and nickel. Before this, the “half-dime” was a tiny silver coin that was easily lost and difficult to handle.
- 1919 – First Transatlantic Flight Begins: U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Albert C. Read and his crew took off from Rockaway, New York, in a Curtiss NC-4 flying boat. They would eventually complete the first-ever flight across the Atlantic Ocean, reaching Lisbon, Portugal, on May 27.
May 17
- 1792 – Founding of the New York Stock Exchange: Twenty-four stockbrokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street, establishing the rules for trading securities and laying the groundwork for what would become the world’s largest stock exchange.
- 1875 – The First Kentucky Derby: At the newly opened Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, a horse named Aristides won the inaugural “Run for the Roses.” The event was modeled after the Epsom Derby in England.
May 18
- 1863 – Siege of Vicksburg Begins: General Ulysses S. Grant began his final offensive against the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The eventual Union victory here gave the North control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy in two.
- 1896 – Plessy v. Ferguson: In one of the most consequential rulings in U.S. history, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine, a decision that would stand for over 50 years until it was overturned in 1954.
