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May 15 is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years ) in the Gregorian calendar . There are 230 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events
1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad exstirpanda torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition .1514 - Jodocus Badius Ascensius publishes Christiern Pedersen 's Latin version of Saxo ’s Gesta Danorum ,1525 - The battle of Frankenhausen ends the Peasants' War .1567 - Mary Queen of Scots marries James Hepburn , Earl of Bothwell , her third husband.1602 - Bartholomew Gosnold becomes the first European to see Cape Cod .1618 - Johannes Kepler confirms his previously rejected discovery of the third law of planetary motion (he first discovered it on March 8 but soon rejected the idea after some initial calculations were made).1701 - The War of the Spanish Succession begins.1718 - James Puckle , a London lawyer , patents the world's first machine gun .1756 - The Seven Years' War begins when England declares war on France .1776 - American Revolution : the Virginia Convention instructs its Continental Congress delegation to propose a resolution of independence from Great Britain , paving the way for the United States Declaration of Independence .1791 - Maximilien Robespierre proposes the Self-denying Ordinance .1792 - War of the First Coalition : France declares war on Kingdom of Sardinia .1793 - Diego Marín Aguilera flies a glider for "about 360 meters ", at a height of 5-6 meters, during one of the first attempted flights.1796 - First Coalition : Napoleon enters Milan in triumph.1800 - George III survives two assassination attempts in one day.1811 - Paraguay declares independence from Spain .1817 - Opening of the first private mental health hospital in the United States , the Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason (now Friends Hospital ) in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania .1836 - Francis Baily observes "Baily's beads " during an annular eclipse .1849 - Troops of the Two Sicilies take Palermo and crush the republican government of Sicily .1851 - Rama IV is crowned King of Thailand .1858 - Opening of the present Royal Opera House in Covent Garden , London .1862 - President Abraham Lincoln signs a bill into law creating the United States Bureau of Agriculture. it is later renamed the United States Department of Agriculture .1864 - American Civil War : Battle of Resaca , Georgia ends.1864 - American Civil War: Battle of New Market , Virginia – students from the Virginia Military Institute fight alongside the Confederate Army to force Union General Franz Sigel out of the Shenandoah Valley .
1869 - Woman's suffrage : in New York , Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton form the National Woman's Suffrage Association .1891 - Rerum Novarum Catholic Social Teaching tradition, is published by Pope Leo XIII .1897 - The Greek army retreats with heavy losses in the Greco-Turkish War .1905 - Las Vegas, Nevada , is founded when 110 acres (0.4 km²), in what later would become downtown, are auctioned off.1910 - The last time a major earthquake happened on the Elsinore Fault Zone .1911 - The United States Supreme Court declares Standard Oil to be an "unreasonable" monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act and orders the company to be broken up.1911 - The Georgios Averof cruiser is bought by Greece.
1914 - Bolivia becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty .1918 - The Finnish Civil War ends.1919 - The Winnipeg General Strike begins. By 11:00 a.m., almost the whole working population of Winnipeg, Manitoba had walked off the job.1919 - Greek invasion of İzmir . During the invasion, the Greek army kills or wounds 350 Turks . The responsible are punished by the Greek Commander Aristides Stergiades. Hasan Tahsin fires the first shot of the Turkish War of Independence .
1920 - Council of Lithuania adjourns as the newly elected Constituent Assembly of Lithuania meets for the first time in Kaunas .1928 - Mickey Mouse premiered in his first cartoon, Plane Crazy 1929 - A fire at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio kills 123.1932 - The May 15 Incident : in an attempted Coup d'état , the Prime Minister of Japan Inukai Tsuyoshi is killed.1934 - Kārlis Ulmanis establishes an authoritarian government in Latvia .
1935 - The Moscow Metro is opened to public.1936 - Amy Johnson arrives back in England after a record-breaking return flight to Cape Town 1940 - USS Sailfish (SS-192) recomisioned, origionaly the Squalus.1940 - World War II : After fierce fighting, the poorly trained and equipped Dutch troops surrender to Germany , marking the beginning of five years of occupation.1940 - McDonald's opens its first restaurant in San Bernardino, California .1941 - Baseball player Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees starts his record-breaking 56-game hitting streak.1942 - World War II: in the United States, a bill creating the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) is signed into law.1943 - Joseph Stalin dissolves the Comintern (or Third International 1945 - World War II: The final skirmish in Europe is fought near Prevalje , Slovenia .1948 - Following the demise of the British Mandate of Palestine , Egypt , Transjordan , Lebanon , Syria , Iraq and Saudi Arabia attack Israel .1951 - The Polish cultural attache in Paris , Czesław Miłosz , asks the French government for political asylum .1955 - The Austrian Independence Treaty is signed.1955 - The first ascent of Makalu , the world's fifth highest mountain.
1957 - At Malden Island in the Pacific , Britain tests its first hydrogen bomb in Operation Grapple . The device fails to detonate properly.1958 - The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 3 .1960 - The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 4 .1963 - Project Mercury : The launch of the final Mercury mission, Mercury-Atlas 9 with astronaut L. Gordon Cooper on board. He becomes the first American to spend more than a day in space .1970 - President Richard Nixon appoints Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington the first female United States Army Generals .
1970 - Philip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green are killed at Jackson State University by police during student protests .
1972 - The island of Okinawa , under U.S. military governance since its conquest in 1945, reverts to Japanese control.1972 - In Laurel, Maryland , Arthur Bremer shoots and paralyzes Alabama Governor George Wallace while he is campaigning to be become President.
1974 – Ma'alot massacre : A total of 31 people, including hostage takers, are killed.1987 - The Soviet Union launches the Polyus prototype orbital weapons platform. It fails to reach orbit.1988 - Soviet war in Afghanistan : After more than eight years of fighting, the Red Army begins its withdrawal from Afghanistan .1990 - Portrait of Doctor Gachet Vincent van Gogh is sold for a record $82.5 million, the most expensive painting at the time.1991 - Edith Cresson becomes France's first female prime minister .1997 - The United States government acknowledges the existence of the "Secret War" in Laos and dedicates the Laos Memorial in honor of Hmong and other "Secret War" veterans.2008 - California becomes the second U.S. state after Massachusetts in 2004 to legalize same-sex marriage after the state's own Supreme Court rules a previous ban unconstitutional .
Births
1567 - (baptism) Claudio Monteverdi , Italian composer (d. 1643)1608 - René Goupil , French Catholic missionary (Canadian Martyrs) (d. 1642)1720 - Maximilian Hell , Slovakian astronomer (d. 1792)1749 - Levi Lincoln, Sr. , American revolutionary, statesman, politician, and acting Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1820)1773 - Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich , Austrian statesman (d. 1859)1786 - General Dimitris Plapoutas , a Revolutionary in the Greek War of Independence (d. 1864)1817 - Debendranath Tagore , Indian religious reformer (d. 1905)1848 - Viktor Vasnetsov , Russian painter (d. 1926)1856 - L. Frank Baum , American author (d. 1919)1857 - Williamina Fleming , Scottish-born astronomer (d. 1911)1859 - Pierre Curie , French physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1906)1862 - Arthur Schnitzler , Austrian dramatist and narrator (d. 1931)1890 - Katherine Anne Porter , American author (d. 1980)1891 - Mikhail Bulgakov , Russian writer (d. 1940)1891 - Fritz Feigl , Austria-born chemist (d. 1971)
1892 - Jimmy Wilde , boxer (d. 1969)1895 - William D. Byron , U.S. Congressman (d. 1941)1898 - Arletty , French model and actress (d. 1992)1899 - Jean-Etienne Valluy , French general (d. 1970)1901 - Xavier Herbert , Australian author (d. 1984)1901 - Luis Monti , Argentine-Italian footballer (d. 1983)
1902 - Richard J. Daley , Mayor of Chicago (d. 1976)1903 - Maria Reiche , German-born mathematician and archaeologist (d. 1998)1905 - Joseph Cotten , American actor (d. 1994)1907 - Sukhdev Thapar , Indian freedom fighter (d. 1931)1909 - James Mason , English actor (d. 1984)1910 - Constance Cummings , British actress (d. 2005)1911 - Max Frisch , Swiss author (d. 1991)1911 - Herta Oberheuser , Nazi doctor (d. 1978)
1912 - Arthur Berger , American composer (d. 2003)1914 - Turk Broda , ice hockey goaltender (d. 1972)1914 - Tenzing Norgay , (adopted birthdate) Nepalese Sherpa who accompanied Edmund Hillary to the top of Mount Everest (d. 1986)
1915 - Hilda Bernstein , English-born South African author, artist, and activist (d. 2006)1915 - Mario Monicelli , Italian director and screenwriter
1915 - Paul Samuelson , American economist, Nobel Prize laureate
1915 - Gus Viseur , French button accordionist (d. 1974)
1918 - Eddy Arnold , American country music singer (d. 2008)1918 - Joseph Wiseman , Canadian actor
1922 - Jakucho Setouchi , Japanese writer and Buddhist nun1923 - Richard Avedon , American photographer (d. 2004)1923 - John Lanchbery , English composer (d. 2003)
1923 - Johnny Walker , Indian actor (d. 2003)
1924 - Maria Koepcke , German ornithologist (d. 1971)1926 - Anthony Shaffer , English playwright (d. 2001)1926 - Peter Shaffer , English playwright
1930 - Jasper Johns , American painter1931 - Ken Venturi , American golfer1935 - Utah Phillips , American labor organizer and folk singer1936 - Anna Maria Alberghetti , Italian-born actress1936 - Wavy Gravy , American clown and activist
1936 - Ralph Steadman , British cartoonist
1936 - Paul Zindel , American writer (d. 2003)
1937 - Madeleine Albright , U.S. Secretary of State1937 - Trini López , American musician
1938 - Mireille Darc , French actress1938 - Lenny Welch , American singer
1939 - Dorothy Shirley , British athlete1940 - Lainie Kazan , American actress and singer1940 - Don Nelson , American basketball coach, currently of the Golden State Warriors
1941 - K.T. Oslin , American musician1942 - Jusuf Kalla , vice- president of Indonesia and Chairman of the Golkar Party.1942 - Doug Lowe , 35th Premier of Tasmania
1944 - Ulrich Beck , German sociologist1944 - Bill Alter , Missouri State Senator
1945 - Lasse Berghagen , Swedish singer1945 - Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza , heir to the Portuguese crown
1947 - Graeham Goble , Australian musician, singer/songwriter, and record producer (co-founding member of Little River Band )1948 - Brian Eno , English musician and record producer1948 - Kathleen Sebelius , American politician, governor of Kansas
1948 - Yutaka Enatsu , Japanese professional baseball pitcher
1950 - Nicholas Hammond , American actor1951 - Frank Wilczek , American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate1952 - Chazz Palminteri , American actor, writer and director1953 - George Brett , American baseball player1953 - Mike Oldfield , English composer
1954 - Robert P. Harrison , American thinker1955 - Lee Horsley , American actor1956 - Dan Patrick , American sportscaster1957 - Juan José Ibarretxe , Basque Lehendakari (Prime Minister)1957 - Kevin Von Erich , American professional wrestler
1958 - Ron Simmons , American professional wrestler1959 - Andrew Eldritch , English singer and songwriter (The Sisters of Mercy) 1959 - Kaokor Galaxy , Thai boxer
1959 - Luis Perez-Sala , Spanish racing driver
1960 - Rob Bowman , American film director1961 - Katrin Cartlidge , British actress (d. 2002)1961 - Melle Mel , American musician1965 - Raí , Brazilian footballer
1966 - Pete Wiggs , English musician (Saint Etienne) 1967 - Madhuri Dixit , Indian actress1967 - John Smoltz , baseball player
1968 - Cecilia Malmström , Swedish politician1968 - Seth Putnam , American musician
1969 - Hideki Irabu , Japanese baseball player1969 - Emmitt Smith , American football player
1969 - Asalah Nasri , Syrian singer
1970 - Martin Rossiter , Welsh Musician1970 - Frank de Boer , Dutch football player
1970 - Ronald de Boer , Dutch football player
1970 - Desmond Howard , American football player
1970 - Rod Smith , American football player
1971 - Phil Pfister , American strength athlete1972 - David Charvet , French actor1974 - Vassilis Kikilias , Greek basketball player1974 - Ahmet Zappa , American musician
1974 - Shiney Ahuja , Indian actor
1975 - Peter Iwers , Swedish Musician1975 - Ray Lewis , American football player
1976 - Adolfo Bautista , Mexican footballer1976 - Torraye Braggs , American basketball player
1976 - Jacek Krzynówek , Polish footballer
1976 - Ryan Leaf , American football player
1976 - Tyler Walker , baseball player
1978 - Amy Chow , American gymnast1978 - Dwayne DeRosario , Canadian footballer
1978 - Caroline Dhavernas , Canadian actress
1978 - Edu , Brazilian footballer
1978 - David Krumholtz , American actor
1978 - Krissy Taylor , American model (d. 1995)
1980 - Josh Beckett , American baseball player1980 - Rocky Marquette , American actor
1981 - Patrice Evra , French-Senegalese footballer1981 - Justin Morneau , Canadian baseball player
1981 - Zara Phillips , British royal and eventer
1981 - Jamie-Lynn Sigler , American actress
1982 - Alex Breckenridge , American actress1982 - Veronica Campbell-Brown , Jamaican athlete
1982 - Segundo Castillo , Ecuadorian footballer
1982 - Tatsuya Fujiwara , Japanese actor
1982 - Jessica Sutta , American dancer, singer and actress (The Pussycat Dolls)
1983 - Devin Bronson , American guitarist (Avril Lavigne)1984 - Sérgio Jimenez , Brazilian racing driver1985 - Cristiane , Brazilian footballer1986 - Matías Fernández , Chilean footballer1986 - Adam Moffat , Scottish football player
1986 - Kyle Loza ,Freestyle Motocross Rider1987 - Ersan İlyasova , Turkish basketball player1987 - Jennylyn Mercado , Filipina actress and singer
1987 - Andy Murray , Scottish tennis player
1990 - Joe Mattock , English football player
Deaths
913 - Hatto I, Archbishop of Mainz 1036 - Emperor Go-Ichijō of Japan (b. 1008)1157 - Yury Dolgoruky , Russian prince1174 - Nur ad-Din , ruler of Syria (b. 1118)1381 - Eppelein von Gailingen , German robber baron1470 - Charles VIII of Sweden (b. 1409)1585 - Niwa Nagahide , Japanese warlord (b. 1535)1591 - Dmitry Ivanovich , Tsarevich (b. 1582)1609 - Giovanni Croce , Italian composer (b. 1557)1634 - Hendrick Avercamp , Dutch painter (b. 1585)1698 - Marie Champmeslé , French actress (b. 1642)1699 - Edward Petre , English Jesuit and privy councilor (b. 1631)1714 - Roger Elliott , British general and Governor of Gibraltar1740 - Ephraim Chambers , English encyclopaedist (b. 1680)1760 - Alaungpaya , King of Burma (b. 1711)1773 - Alban Butler , English Catholic priest and writer (b. 1710)1782 - Marquis of Pombal , Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1699)1879 - Gottfried Semper , German architect (b. 1803)1886 - Emily Dickinson , American poet (b. 1830)1924 - Paul-Henri-Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant , French diplomat, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1852)1935 - Kazimir Malevich , Polish/Ukrainian artist (b. 1878)1937 - Phillip Snowden , British politician (b. 1864)1940 - Menno ter Braak , Dutch author and polemicist (b. 1902)1945 - Charles Williams , UK writer (b. 1886)1948 - Edward Flanagan , American priest and founder of Boys Town (b. 1886)1954 - William March , American writer (b. 1893)1956 - Austin Osman Spare , English magician (b. 1886)1964 - Vladko Maček , Kingdom of Yugoslavia deputy prime minister (b. 1879)1967 - Edward Hopper , American painter (b. 1882)1971 - Tyrone Guthrie , English director, producer, and writer (b. 1900)1978 - Sir Robert Menzies , twelfth Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1894)1982 - Gordon Smiley , American race car driver (b. 1946)1984 - Francis Schaeffer , American theologian, philosopher, and pastor (b. 1912)1986 - Theodore White , American writer (b. 1915)1986 - Elio de Angelis , Italian race car driver (b. 1958)
1989 - Johnny Green , American songwriter (b. 1908)1991 - Andreas Floer , German mathematician (b. 1956)1991 - Ronald Lacey , English actor (b. 1935)
1992 - Jovy Marcelo , Filipino race car driver (b. 1965)1993 - Salah Ahmed Ibrahim , Sudanese writer, poet, and diplomat (b. 1933)1994 - Gilbert Roland , Mexican actor (b. 1905)1995 - Eric Porter , British actor (b. 1928)1996 - Charles B. Fulton , American jurist (b. 1910)1998 - Earl Manigault , American basketball player (b. 1944)2003 - June Carter Cash , American musician and singer (b. 1929)2003 - George Francis , British gangster (b. 1940)
2005 - Alan B. Gold , Quebec Chief Justice (b. 1917)2007 - Jerry Falwell , American evangelist (b. 1933)2007 - Yolanda King , American actress and activist, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. (b. 1955)
2008 - Alexander Courage , composer of original Star Trek theme (b. 1919)2008 - Tommy Burns , Scottish footballer (b. 1956)
2008 - Robert Dunlop , Northern Irish motorcycle racer, younger brother of Joey Dunlop (b. 1960)
Holidays and observances
In the Roman Catholic Church :
In the Coptic Church
External links
