King Mieszko II Lambert of Poland dies on May 10, 1034, leading to a period of political anarchy and instability and eventually to the collapse of the early Piast monarchy and causing the country to regress from a kingdom to a disorganized duchy.
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On This Day in History: May 10
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on May 10th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci leaves on May 10, 1497, from Cadiz, Spain, on his first voyage to the New World.
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French explorer Jacques Cartier lands in Newfoundland on May 10, 1534, marking the beginning of French exploration in North America. He sailed from Saint-Malo, France with two ships and 61 men. His primary mission for King Francis I was to find a passage to Asia and bring back riches.
On July 24, 1534, he erected a 10-meter cross in Gaspé Bay, claiming the land for France. He returned to France in September 1534, having failed to find a, passage but having identified a new, vast land for his king. During his first voyage, Cartier explored the coasts of Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, including the Strait of Belle Isle. Cartier is credited with naming Canada, applying the Iroquoian word kanata, meaning "village" or "settlement", to the region around present-day Quebec City in 1535. He initially used "Canada" to refer to Stadacona and the territory controlled by its chief, Donnacona, but the name was soon extended to a much larger area. Jacques Cartier made three major trips to North America all commissioned by King Francis I of France. His voyages were crucial for France's claim to Canada, allowing the nation to explore the St. Lawrence Gulf and River and later colonization efforts.
The British parliament passed the unpopular Tea Act on May 10, 1773. The Act forced the colonists to choose between paying the tax and buying from the monopoly or continuing to boycott. Many chose to resist, accelerating the push toward the American Revolution More
Louis XVI accedes to the throne of France, and his wife, Marie-Antoinette, becomes the queen consort on May 10, 1774, upon the death of his grandfather, Louis XV Later they both were beheaded during the French Revolution.
Louis XVI was executed by guillotine on January 21, 1793. Marie Antoinette's trial began on 14 October 1793; two days later, she was convicted by the Revolutionary Tribunal of high treason and executed by guillotine on October 16, 1793 at the Place de la Révolution.
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Confederate President Jefferson Davis is captured by Union forces on May 10, 1865, in Irwinville, Georgia, effectively ending the Confederate government. General, Robert E. Lee, had surrendered on April 9 at Appomattox in Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant.
The U.S. Transcontinental railroad opens for through traffic linking the East Coast and West Coast by rail, on May 10, 1869, when CPRR President Leland Stanford ceremonially drove the gold "Last Spike" (later often referred to as the "Golden Spike") at Promontory Summit in Utah. More
The peace Treaty of Frankfurt is signed, on May 10, 1871, by the German Empire and the French Third Republic, formally ending the Franco-Prussian War and leaving a stronger unified Germany under Prussian leadership. It also resulted in significant territorial losses for France, including Alsace and part of Lorraine. More
The first telephone is installed in the White House on May 10, 1877, during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes. The White House phone number was simply "1". This took place about only 14 months after Bell's famous "Mr. Watson, come here" call.
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John Edgar Hoover became the 5th Director of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI), on May 10, 1924 the predecessor to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). After 11 years in that post, Hoover became instrumental in founding the FBI in June 1935, where he remained as director for an additional 37 years until his death in May 1972.
Hoover served a total of 48 years leading both the BOI and the FBI under eight Presidents. He built the agency into a highly effective, although sometimes controversial, arm of federal law enforcement. More
The Nazi blitzkrieg and conquest of France (The Battle of France), begins on May 10, 1940, with German forces crossing the Meuse River at Sedan. This event, a key part of Wehrmacht's operational plan codenamed Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), involved a rapid advance through the Ardennes forest and a breach of the Meuse-Albert Canal line. This allowed German armored units to bypass the Maginot Line and encircle Allied forces in Belgium and France. More
Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 10, 1940, succeeding Neville Chamberlain. He lead the U.K through the critical years of World War II. More
Nelson Mandela becomes the first Black African president of democratic South Africa, on May 10, 1994, following the country's first fully democratic, multiracial election. He led a Government of National Unity, after 27 years of imprisonment, fostering reconciliation and dismantling the apartheid system. More
Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent who was convicted of spying for the Russian government is sentenced on May 10, 2002, to life in prison without parole. Hanssen died in prison on June 2023, at the age of 79. More