1386 – Treaty of Windsor between Portugal and England (oldest diplomatic alliance in the world still in force)
1865 – President Andrew Johnson issues a proclamation declaring armed resistance in the South is virtually at an end; this is the commonly accepted end date of the American Civil War
1901 – The First Australian Parliament opens in Melbourne, though the first working session will not be until 21 May
1941 – British intelligence at Bletchley Park breaks German spy codes after capturing Enigma machines aboard the weather ship Muenchen
1945 – World War II: The Soviet Union marks Victory Day
1960 – US becomes the first country to legalize the birth control pill
1974 – US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee begins formal hearings on Nixon impeachment
1988 – Australia’s new parliament house is opened by Queen Elizabeth II in Canberra
1992 – Salem Village Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial dedicated in Danvers (formally Salem Village) to mark 300 year anniversary of trials
2006 – George Preca is canonized as the first Maltese saint in history
2012 – United States President Barack Obama officially states his support for same-sex marriage
2016 – Boris Johnson resigns as Mayor of London, succeeded by Sadiq Khan
2017 – Fossil of Chinese feathered baby dinosaur formally identified as Beibeilong sinensis (baby dragon in Chinese)
2018 -Historic win in Malaysian general election by opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan led by 92 year old former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, defeating Prime Minister Najib Razak and ending 61 years of rule by the Barisan Nasional coalition
2019 – French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin (72) successfully crosses the Atlantic Ocean in a barrel arriving in Martinique
2019 – At least 65 migrants drown off the coast of Tunisia when their boat capsizes after leaving Libya according to the UN
Film & TV:
1958 – “Vertigo”, American film noir psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak, is released
Music:
1962 – The Beatles sign their 1st contract with EMI Parlophone
Sport:
2001 – Accra Sports Stadium Disaster: 129 Ghanaian football fans die in a stampede caused by the firing of teargas by police following a decision by the referee in a crucial match between arch-rivals Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko
2019 – English clubs create football history by taking all 4 final spots in Europe’s 2 major competitions; Chelsea & Arsenal qualify in Europa Cup after ‘miracle’ Champions League wins for Liverpool & Spurs
