It didn’t start as a soft drink. On May 8, 1886, in the heart of Atlanta, a morphine-addicted Confederate veteran turned pharmacist poured the first glass of what he claimed could cure headaches, exhaustion, indigestion—even impotence. His name was Dr. John Stith Pemberton, and…
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In the blood-soaked spring of 1794, as guillotines claimed heads by the dozen and the French Revolution threatened to devour itself, Maximilien Robespierre unveiled his most audacious experiment yet—not in law or terror, but in theology. On May 7, standing before the National Convention,…
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In the uneasy spring of 1659, the republican experiment that had governed England since the execution of Charles I teetered on the edge of collapse. At its helm stood Richard Cromwell, son of the late Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell—an unlikely successor and, to many,…
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On May 5, 1866, the small village of Waterloo, New York, held what is widely recognized as the first formal observance of Memorial Day in the United States. Known at the time as Decoration Day, the event was a community-wide tribute to honor the…
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The Battle of Puebla, fought on May 5, 1862, holds a significant place in Mexican history, particularly as the origin of the Cinco de Mayo holiday. At the center of this historic event stands Ignacio Zaragoza, a Mexican general whose strategic brilliance halted a…
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On May 4, 1886, the Haymarket Affair, a watershed event marked by ideological conflict and explosive violence, unfolded in Chicago, profoundly shaping America’s political and labor landscape. Occurring amid escalating nationwide tensions driven by a determined campaign for an eight-hour workday, this incident encapsulated…
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On May 3, 1802, the City of Washington—the urban core of the newly established District of Columbia—was formally incorporated by act of Congress, inaugurating a mayor-council form of government and dissolving the three-man Board of Commissioners that had governed the district since its inception.…
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On May 2, 1611, in the heart of London, England, printer Robert Barker released the first edition of what would become one of the most influential and widely read books in the English-speaking world: the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. Commissioned by…
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On April 30, 1803, one of the most significant land deals in history was finalized in Paris, France. For a sum of $15 million, the United States purchased the vast Louisiana Territory from France, instantly doubling the size of the young American republic and…
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On April 29, 2015, Major League Baseball staged a spectacle unlike any it had seen before—or has seen since. Inside Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards, two professional teams, the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox, went through the timeless motions of America’s…
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