May 17th
Today in America's Present Past
1733 | Britain passed the Molasses Act, imposing high tariffs on rum and molasses imported to the colonies from countries other than British possessions.
1741 | Founder John Penn was born.
1743 | Politician Seth Warner was born.
1775 | War of Independence: The Continental Congress bans trade with Canada.
1792 | Twenty-four merchants form the New York Stock Exchange at 70 Wall Street.
1803 | John Hawkins and Richard French patented the Reaping Machine.
1827 | President Andrew Johnson wed Eliza McCardle.
1829 | SCOTUS: Chief Justice John Jay died.
1862 | Civil War: Battle of Princeton, West Virginia.
1863 | Civil War: Battle of Big Black River Bridge, Mississippi.
1864 | Civil War: Battle of Adairsville, Georgia.
1868 | Entrepreneur Horace Elgin Dodge was born.
1875 | Politician John C. Breckinridge died.
1875 | The inaugural running of the Kentucky Derby.
1881 | Frederick Douglass appointed recorder of deeds for the District of Columbia.
1886 | Entrepreneur John Deere died.
1897 | John Philip Holland launches the first gas-powered submarine.
1900 | L. Frank Baum publishes “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
1912 | Lawyer Archibald Cox was born.
1915 | Civil Rights: The National Convention of Baptists is formed.
1930 | Publisher Herbert David Croly died.
1931 | Cult leader Marshall Applewhite was born.
1934 | Architect Cass Gilbert died.
1936 | Actor Dennis Hopper was born.
1946 | POTUS: Democrat President Truman takes control of the railroads to prevent a strike.
1954 | The Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education.
1956 | Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard was born.
1959 | Sportscaster Jim Nantz was born.
1973 | Far left domestic terrorist shootout in Los Angeles, California.
1980 | The Miami riots start.
2019 | Novelist Herman Wouk died.