Tony Blair became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in a landslide Labour victory
At 43, Blair was the youngest British PM since 1812, ending 18 years of Conservative rule. His 'New Labour' movement won 418 seats, the party's larges...
May 2 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
1997
1969
The luxury ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 departed on her maiden voyage
Cunard's flagship QE2 left Southampton for New York, beginning a 39-year career that would see her travel over 6 million miles. The ship survived a bo...
1959
The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held simultaneously in Beverly Hills and New York
Domenico Modugno won Record of the Year for 'Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare),' while Count Basie took Album of the Year. Only 28 awards were given out...
1952
A commercial jet airliner carried paying passengers for the first time in history
The De Havilland Comet flew from London to Johannesburg, inaugurating the jet age of commercial aviation. The flight that once took multiple days with...
1945
Soviet forces announced the fall of Berlin, effectively ending World War II in Europe
MajorAfter days of brutal street-to-street fighting, the Red Army completed its capture of the German capital. Hitler had committed suicide two days earlie...
1933
Adolf Hitler banned trade unions in Germany and seized their assets
MajorIn a coordinated action, Nazi storm troopers occupied union offices across Germany, arrested leaders, and confiscated funds. The Deutsche Arbeitsfront...
1923
Cricketer Jack Hobbs became the first batsman to score 100 first-class centuries
The English batsman reached this milestone at Somerset, eventually finishing his career with a record 199 first-class centuries. He remains one of cri...
1885
The Congo Free State was established as the personal property of King Leopold II of Belgium
At the Berlin Conference, European powers recognized Leopold's private ownership of a territory 76 times larger than Belgium itself. His brutal exploi...
1863
Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own troops at the Battle of Chancellorsville
Returning from a reconnaissance mission at dusk, Jackson and his staff were mistaken for Union cavalry and fired upon by Confederate soldiers. His lef...
1729
The Spanish town of Montevideo was founded in present-day Uruguay
Spanish commander Bruno Mauricio de Zabala established the city as a strategic fortress to counter Portuguese expansion from Brazil. Today, Montevideo...
1670
King Charles II of England granted a charter to the Hudson's Bay Company
This charter gave the company a trading monopoly over the vast watershed of Hudson Bay—roughly 1.5 million square miles of North America. The company...
1611
The King James Bible was first published in London
MajorCommissioned by King James I in 1604, this English translation took 47 scholars seven years to complete. It would become the most influential book in...
1536
Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London
Accused of adultery, incest, and treason, the Queen of England was arrested at Greenwich Palace. Within three weeks she would be tried, convicted on d...