On This Day — 10 May

2024

Start of the May 2024 solar storms, the most powerful set of geomagnetic storms since the 2003 Halloween solar storms.

May 2024 solar storms

2022

Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years. It was the first time that a new session of Parliament was opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge acting as Counsellors of State.

Elizabeth II

2017

Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the last footholds of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Al-Tabqah, bringing the Battle of Tabqa to an end.

Syrian civil war

2013

One World Trade Center becomes the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

One World Trade Center

2012

The Damascus bombings are carried out using a pair of car bombs detonated by suicide bombers outside a military intelligence complex in Damascus, Syria, killing 55 people.

10 May 2012 Damascus bombings

2005

A hand grenade thrown by Vladimir Arutyunian lands about 20 m from U.S. President George W. Bush while he is giving a speech to a crowd in Tbilisi, Georgia, but it malfunctions and does not detonate.

Grenade

2002

FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds.

Robert Hanssen

1997

The 7.3 Mw Qayen earthquake strikes Iran's Khorasan Province killing 1,567 people.

Moment magnitude scale

1996

A blizzard strikes Mount Everest, killing eight climbers by the next day.

Mount Everest

1994

Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa's first black president.

Nelson Mandela

1993

In Thailand, a fire at the Kader Toy Factory kills over 200 workers.

Thailand

1975

Sony introduces the Betamax videocassette recorder.

Sony

1969

Vietnam War: The Battle of Dong Ap Bia begins with an assault on Hill 937. It will ultimately become known as Hamburger Hill.

Vietnam War

1967

The Northrop M2-F2 crashes on landing, becoming the inspiration for the novel Cyborg and TV series The Six Million Dollar Man.

Northrop M2-F2

1962

Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk.

Marvel Comics

1961

Air France Flight 406 is destroyed by a bomb over the Sahara, killing 78.

Air France Flight 406

1946

First successful launch of an American V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground.

V-2 rocket

1942

World War II: The Thai Phayap Army invades the Shan States during the Burma Campaign.

Phayap Army

1941

World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid.

House of Commons of the United Kingdom

1941

World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany.

Rudolf Hess

1940

World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg.

World War II

1940

World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. On the same day, Germany invades France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom occupies Iceland.

Winston Churchill

1933

Censorship: In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings.

Censorship

1924

J. Edgar Hoover is appointed first Director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and remains so until his death in 1972.

J. Edgar Hoover

1922

The United States annexes the Kingman Reef.

Kingman Reef

1916

Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrives at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island.

Voyage of the James Caird

1908

Mother's Day is observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia.

Mother's Day

1904

The Horch & Cir. Motorwagenwerke AG is founded. It would eventually become the Audi company.

Horch

1899

Finnish farmworker Karl Emil Malmelin kills seven people with an axe at the Simola croft in the village of Klaukkala.

Karl Emil Malmelin

1881

Carol I is crowned the King of the Romanian Kingdom.

Carol I of Romania

1876

The Centennial Exposition is opened in Philadelphia.

Centennial Exposition

1872

Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for President of the United States.

Victoria Woodhull

1869

The First transcontinental railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory with the golden spike.

First transcontinental railroad

1865

American Civil War: In Kentucky, Union soldiers ambush and mortally wound Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingers until his death on June 6.

Kentucky

1857

Indian Rebellion of 1857: In India, the first war of Independence begins. Sepoys mutiny against their commanding officers at Meerut.

Indian Rebellion of 1857

1849

Astor Place Riot: A riot breaks out at the Astor Opera House in Manhattan, New York City over a dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, killing at least 22 and injuring over 120.

Astor Place Riot

1837

Panic of 1837: New York City banks suspend the payment of specie, triggering a national banking crisis and an economic depression whose severity was not surpassed until the Great Depression.

Panic of 1837

1833

A revolt broke out in southern Vietnam against Emperor Minh Mang, who had desecrated the deceased mandarin Le Van Duyet.

Lê Văn Khôi revolt

1824

The National Gallery in London opens to the public.

National Gallery

1801

First Barbary War: The Barbary pirates of Tripoli declare war on the United States of America.

First Barbary War

1796

War of the First Coalition: Napoleon wins a victory against Austrian forces at Lodi bridge over the Adda River in Italy. The Austrians lose some 2,000 men.

War of the First Coalition

1775

American Revolutionary War: A small Colonial militia led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold captures Fort Ticonderoga.

American Revolutionary War

1775

American Revolutionary War: The Second Continental Congress takes place in Philadelphia.

Second Continental Congress

1774

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette become King and Queen of France.

Louis XVI

1773

The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Tea Act, designed to save the British East India Company by reducing taxes on its tea and granting it the right to sell tea directly to North America. The legislation leads to the Boston Tea Party.

Parliament of Great Britain

1768

Rioting occurs in London after John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for The North Briton severely criticising King George III.

John Wilkes

1713

Great Northern War: The Russian Navy led by Admiral Fyodor Apraksin land both at Katajanokka and Hietalahti during the Battle of Helsinki.

Great Northern War

1688

King Narai nominates Phetracha as regent, leading to the revolution of 1688 in which Phetracha becomes king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.

Narai

1534

Jacques Cartier visits Newfoundland.

Jacques Cartier

1503

Christopher Columbus visits the Cayman Islands and names them Las Tortugas after the numerous turtles there.

Christopher Columbus

1497

Amerigo Vespucci allegedly leaves Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World.

Amerigo Vespucci

1294

Temür, Khagan of the Mongols, is enthroned as Emperor of the Yuan dynasty.

Temür Khan

1291

Scottish nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England pending the selection of a king.

Nobility

946

Alberic II of Spoleto arranges the election of pope Agapetus II following the death of Pope Marinus II.

Alberic II of Spoleto

-28

A sunspot is observed by Han dynasty astronomers during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, one of the earliest dated sunspot observations in China.

Sunspot