Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on May 8th?

The Treaty of Brétigny is signed between England and France, marking a temporary end to the first phase of the Hundred Years' War and granting substantial territorial concessions to England.

Spanish conquistador and explorer Hernando De Soto reaches the Mississippi River at a point below Natchez. De Soto was the first European documented to have seen the river. From there, they traveled through Arkansas and Louisiana, still with few material gains to show for their efforts. Turning back to the Mississippi, de Soto died of a fever on its banks on May 21, 1542.

A legal process by which the Protestant Church of England was restored becomes official as Queen Elizabeth gives the Royal assent to the Revised Act of Supremacy of 1558, which re-established the Church of England’s independence from Rome. and the the Act of Uniformity of 1559 which outlined what form the English Church should take.

Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia, produced the syrup for Coca‑Cola, and carried a jug of the new product down the street to Jacobs' Pharmacy, where it was sampled, pronounced "excellent" and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink as a tonic for common ailments. Dr. Pemberton never realized the potential of the beverage he created. He gradually sold portions of his business and, just prior to his death in 1888, sold his remaining interest in Coca‑Cola to Asa G. Candler. An Atlantan business man. Candler proceeded to buy additional rights and acquire complete control. More

Martinique's Mount Pelée erupts and destroys the town of Saint-Pierre, killing approximately 30,000 people, 15 percent of the island’s population. in the space of a few minutes. This is considered the worst volcanic disaster of the 20th century. Mount Pelée is still classified as an active volcano.

The USS Lexington becomes the first U.S. aircraft carrier to be sunk during World War II. The sinking took place during the Battle of the Coral Sea. 216 crewmen died. Additionally, 42 aircraft (17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers, 13 F4F Wildcat fighters, and 12 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers) were lost with the ship. More

World War II officially ends in Europe at midnight on May 8, 1945, with the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, marking Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day). The war in the Pacific,  continued until Japan's surrendered in September 1945.

Police in Silkeborg, Denmark, discovers a well-preserved bog body near the village of Tollund. Initially mistaken for a recent murder victim, the body was identified as an exceptionally preserved Iron Age corpse (500 B.C. until 800 CE), now known as the Tollund Man. The man's remarkable state of preservation, including visible wrinkles, hair, and beard, led to extensive study and analysis of his remains, including his last meal. It is believed he lived in the early part of the Iron Age. More

Habemus Papam! We have a Pope! - Cardinal Robert Prevost is elected Pope taking name Leo XIV. Prevost, 69, is the first U.S. born pope in the church's history. He is also a citizen of Peru, where he worked for over two decades. His first public words as Pope, spoken in Italian, were "Peace be with you,"