May 7 Historical Events

The following events took place on May 7. The list is arranged in chronological order.

Found 49 events. Showing 1 - 30.

• 351
  The Jewish revolt against Constantius Gallus breaks out. After his arrival at Antioch, the Jews begin a rebellion in Palestine.
• 558
  In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian I immediately orders that the dome be rebuilt.
• 1274
  In France, the Second Council of Lyon opens to regulate the election of the Pope.
• 1429
  Joan of Arc ends the Siege of Orléans, pulling an arrow from her own shoulder and returning, wounded, to lead the final charge. The victory marks a turning point in the Hundred Years’ War.
• 1487
  The Siege of Málaga commences during the Spanish Reconquista.
• 1664
  Louis XIV of France begins construction of the Palace of Versailles.
• 1697
  Stockholm’s royal castle (dating back to medieval times) is destroyed by fire. It is replaced by the current Royal Palace in the eighteenth century.
• 1718
  The city of New Orleans is founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville.
• 1763
  Pontiac’s War begins with Pontiac’s attempt to seize Fort Detroit from the British.
• 1794
  French Revolution: Robespierre introduces the Cult of the Supreme Being in the National Convention as the new state religion of the French First Republic.
• 1824
  World premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Vienna, Austria. The performance is conducted by Michael Umlauf under the composer’s supervision.
• 1832
  The independence of Greece is recognized by the Treaty of London. Otto of Wittelsbach, Prince of Bavaria is chosen king.
• 1840
  The Great Natchez Tornado strikes Natchez, Mississippi killing 317 people. It is the second deadliest tornado in United States history.
• 1846
  The Cambridge Chronicle, America’s oldest surviving weekly newspaper, is published for the first time in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• 1847
  The American Medical Association is founded in Philadelphia.

• 1864
  American Civil War: The Army of the Potomac, under General Ulysses S. Grant, breaks off from the Battle of the Wilderness and moves southwards.
• 1864
  The world’s oldest surviving clipper ship, the City of Adelaide is launched by William Pile, Hay and Co. in Sunderland, England, for transporting passengers and goods between Britain and Australia.
• 1895
  In Saint Petersburg, Russian scientist Alexander Stepanovich Popov demonstrates to the Russian Physical and Chemical Society his invention, the Popov lightning detector — a primitive radio receiver. In some parts of the former Soviet Union the anniversary of this day is celebrated as Radio Day.
• 1915
  World War I: German submarine SMU U-20 sinks RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 people including 128 Americans. Public reaction to the sinking turns many formerly pro-Germans in the United States against the German Empire
• 1915
  Japanese 21 Demands Ultimatum to China (Commemorated as National Day of Humiliation)
• 1920
  Kiev Offensive: Polish troops led by Józef Piłsudski and Edward Rydz-Śmigły and assisted by a symbolic Ukrainian force capture Kiev only to be driven out by the Red Army counter-offensive a month later.
• 1920
  Treaty of Moscow: Soviet Russia recognizes the independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia only to invade the country six months later.
• 1920
  The Art Gallery of Ontario, in Toronto, opens the first exhibition by the Group of Seven.
• 1937
  Spanish Civil War: The German Condor Legion, equipped with Heinkel He 51 biplanes, arrives in Spain to assist Francisco Franco’s forces.
• 1940
  The Norway Debate in the British House of Commons begins, and leads to the replacement of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain with Winston Churchill three days later.
• 1942
  During the Battle of the Coral Sea, United States Navy aircraft carrier aircraft attack and sink the Imperial Japanese Navy light aircraft carrier Shōhō. The battle marks the first time in the naval history that two enemy fleets fight without visual contact between warring ships.
• 1945
  World War II: General Alfred Jodl signs unconditional surrender terms at Reims, France, ending Germany’s participation in the war. The document takes effect the next day.
• 1946
  Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded with around 20 employees.
• 1948
  The Council of Europe is founded during the Hague Congress.
• 1952
  The concept of the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is first published by Geoffrey Dummer.