What Happened Today - May

January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December

This month of May is now upon us.  Each day I will add more information.  Join me in our journey through the past to learn what happened as we built a new nation.

Thank you,

Mrs. Hoffman

I have found my information for these pages from the following sites and applications:

• Today in the 1770s 
• Today in History 
• Today in History 
• This Day in History
• On-This-Day.com 
• Library of Congress 
• National Park Service 

May 1, 1788 - The Continental troops try to intercept supplies leading to the British in Philadelphia. The patriots are led by Brigadier General John Lacey and they are greatly outnumbered. Thirty six British die and only 9 patriots.  The patriots outmaneuver the British this day.

May 2, 1670 - The Hudson Bay Company was started on this day.  The Hudson Bay Company was founded in London to start a fur trade in the colonies, more specifically the Hudson Bay region.  Most interesting is that the company lasted until 1989 - that's 300 years later.  It is now Canada's largest department store.

May 3, 1776 - General Cornwallis arrives in North Carolina with twenty transports.  He is accompanied by British Commodore Parker.  Just the year before, the Earl of Dartmouth tells the colonial governor to organize a militia of Loyalists.  They even hoped to arm the slaves. The patriots organized to stop the situation so when Cornwallis arrived in 1776, the climate was not good for Loyalists.

May 4, 1776 - Rhode Island declares its independence from Great Britain.

May 5, 1776 - British Lieutenant General Clinton offers those who live in North Carolina pardons if they return to the bosom of Great Britain.  Of course, General Howe and Cornelius Harnett were not offered the same pardons because they upset the British when Lord Dunmore in Virginia was defeated.  Howe and Harnett were committed patriots and members of the Colonial Assembly.  The people of North Carolina do not take him up on his offer.  Harnett dies in British custody in 1781 but Howe survives the war, living until 1786.

May 6, 1777 - General Burgoyne arrives in Quebec.  He is to take over command of the British forces and march on to New York.  His orders are clear - invade and capture New York, quell the rebellion, and make the colonists return to the fold.

May 7, 1775 - Benjamin Franklin writes a letter to his son who is the governor of New Jersey.  He wants his son to support the patriots and American independence.  Unfortunately, his son does not share his politics. William Franklin was a Loyalist and even went to Britain in 1782, remaining there for the rest of his life.

May 8, 1779 - British Major General Edward Matthew and Commodore George Collier raid Norfolk, Virginia.  They manage to capture war materials and tobacco.

May 9, 1754 - Join or Die - the political cartoon we all recognize so clearly as a symbol of the 13 colonies and their battle against Great Britain, was created by Benjamin Franklin and published on this date.

May 10, 1775 - The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia.  New members included Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Hancock.  The Second Continental Congress wanted the colonies to begin thinking and acting more like a republican government.  Benjamin Franklin's political cartoon above was just one symbol that represented what the Second Continental Congress proposed.

May 11, 1776 - George Washington recommends raising German-American troops to use against German mercenaries that the British used.  One-third of Pennsylvania's population were German speaking.

May 12, 1780 - Charleston, South Carolina falls to the British. This is the biggest defeat the Patriots suffer.  More than 3000 men are captured and over 250 are killed or wounded.  The American commander is General Benjamin Lincoln.  The British commander is General Clinton.  Clinton soon leaves for New York and Cornwallis takes over command.

May 13, 1607 - English colonists, in search of riches land near the James River in Virginia.  Certain they would find gold as the Spanish did, they colonists came ill-equipped to survive the climate.  They thought they would simply find gold, return to England wealthy men, and never return.  Nothing of the kind worked out for them.  And yet they remained!  Thank goodness they did.

May 14, 1787 - delegates assemble in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention. Unfortunately, not as many arrived as hoped and James Madison waited until May 25th to have a quorum.

May 15, 1781 - the Patriots led by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lee attacked Fort Granby in South Carolina.  The British Loyalists led by Major Andrew Maxwell surrender.  Henry Lee is to be the father of another famous Lee - Robert E Lee, who will command the Confederate Army during the Civil War.  When the Civil War breaks out, Robert E Lee did not want to leave the Union, but once his home state of Virginia seceded, he decided to stay with his state, saddened by the state of affairs.

May 16, 1776 - General George Washington has to travel to Philadelphia.  Congress wants to consult with him about the ensuing campaign.  He needs to let them know how to prepare for attacks by the British, and how to help the patriots.

May 17, 1776 - By an Order of Council, Britain places a ban on exports of gunpowder, saltpetre, and all arms and munitions to the colonies.  Only the King can give permission  to trade.

May 18, 1783 - Tories from New York relocate to Nova Scotia.  Their lands and wealth were taken away by the US government because they supported Britain throughout the war.  Britain gave them land (200 acres each) to repay them for their support during the war and many of them settled permanently in Canada as a result of this support.  The lands changed from French to British due to so many new residents.

May 19, 1776 - Control of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly goes on - the conservatives battle with the local Committee (a radical group).  The Assembly wants the delegation to Congress to stop voting for independence.  I guess they felt following a king who was a bit mad was a better choice.  Hmm - I guess people believe what they want to  believe all the time.

May 20, 1774 - Parliament passes the Coercive Acts in order to punish the American colonists.  These acts are actually a series of acts meant to stop the colonists from going against Great Britain.  One of the acts closes Boston Harbor.  There are actually five acts together that make the Coercive Acts - the first was the Boston Port Act, the second is the Administration of Justice Act, the third is the Massachusetts Government Act, the fourth is the Quebec Act, and finally the fifth is the Quartering Act.

May 21, 1776 - The Maryland Convention states people "have the sole and exclusive right to regulate internal affairs and police".  They abolish all royal authority. No one has to take an oath of allegiance to Britain.

May22, 1781 - The Patriots, under the direction of Major General Nathanael Greene begins a seige of the village called Ninety-Six in South Carolina. More than 1000 patriots go against 550 Loyalists.  The patriots use designs made by Thaddeus Kosciusko. Unfortunately they do not beat the Loyalists at the Ninety-Six.  Finally on June 19, Greene withdraws.

May 23, 1788 - South Carolina became the 8th state to join the United States when it ratified the US Constitution.  South Carolina was an important manufacturing and farming state.  It also became the leading state in manufacturing textiles.

May 24, 1607 - A group of 104 colonists and 39 sailors arrive in Jamestown to make the first permanent English settlement in North America.  The land they chose was about 60 miles from the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay (to see any approaching ships better). They named it after King James I.

May 25, 1787 - The Constitutional Convention began and George Washington was the president of the assembly.  James Madison's Virginia Plan which discussed confederacies and gave the young country its idea of a democracy. Many different forms of government were proposed until the decided on the three branches of government.

May 26, 1776 - The President of the Virginia Convention sends word to Maryland.  Lord Dunmore's fleet is heading up the Chesapeake Bay.  The president of the Virginia Convention at the time was Edmund Pendleton  was one of the Virginia delegates to attend the First Continental Congress with George Washington and Patrick Henry. He also served as the first president of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

May 27, 1775 - Lord Dunmore's men land on Gwinn's Island at the mouth of the Piankatank River.  He used emancipated slaves to help secure the island and protect it from the patriots.

May 28, 1775 - an attack at Hog Island occurred.  As the patriots were attempting to drive off the livestock they were attacked by British troops. More than 100 of Gage's troops were killed, and another 200 were wounded.  No patriots were killed and only 3 were wounded.

May 29, 1776 - Approximately 10,000 pounds of powder arrive in Charleston, South Carolina (which became a royal colony on this day in 1729).  The powder arrived from St. Eustatius.  The French West Indies were open to trade to the colonies at long last, allowing the colonies to get some much needed supplies.

May 30, 1783 - While today is the day the first American daily newspaper began publishing in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Evening Post, was actually published before - for at least 15 years.  The difference was - it finally started being published every day.  Many newspapers during colonial times were only published twice a week, or maybe three times a week.  Having a newspaper come out every day was quite the feat.

May 31, 1776 - The colonists from Christ Church parish in South Carolina send word to the northern cities that the British fleet was seen near Dewee's Island.  The messages were sent by express to warn colonists the British were coming.