Today in History for May 19:
On this date:
In 804, the English medieval scholar Alcuin of York died. As an educator, he made beauty, goodness and truth the hallmarks of Charlemagne's Frankish empire. His great hunger for learning revived the Augustinian tradition of Christian classical education and helped to lay the foundations of Europe's Christian civilization.
In 1535, French explorer Jacques Cartier left St-Malo on his second voyage to Canada.
In 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, was beheaded for adultery. Henry had married Anne three years before, after divorcing Catherine of Aragon. The divorce led to Henry's excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church. Anne gave birth to the future Queen Elizabeth I, but did not produce the male heir Henry wanted. Anne was born in 1507 at Blicking Hall, Norfolk, daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, later Earl of Wiltshire, and Lady Elizabeth Howard.
In 1649, following a civil war and the execution of King Charles I, England was declared a Commonwealth under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell.
In 1780, complete darkness fell on eastern Canada and the New England states at 2 p.m. Many people gathered in churches for comfort during the so-called "dark day." Scientists believe smoke and ash from forest fires burning to the west in Canada and the United States most likely became concentrated into a dense cloud which was drawn across eastern North America by passing low pressure. This is supported by reports from Boston that the air smelled like a "malt-house or coal-kiln," and that something resembling ash settled on pools of rain water.
In 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte created the French Legion of Honour, an order of distinction for civil or military service.
In 1889, doing 12 miles (19.3 kilometres) an hour, Jacob German of New York City became the first person arrested for speeding in an automobile.
In 1910, Earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet.
In 1935, British soldier-writer T.E. Lawrence, also known as "Lawrence of Arabia," died in England from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash six days earlier. He was 46. Lawrence, who was born on Aug. 16, 1888, in Wales, became famous for his exploits as the British military liaison to the Arab Revolt during the First World War.
In 1958, the United States and Canada formally established the North American Air Defence Command.
In 1962, during a Democratic fundraiser at New York's Madison Square Garden, actress Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday to You" to the guest of honour, U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
In 1967, the Soviet Union ratified a treaty with the United States and Britain, banning nuclear weapons from outer space.
In 1984, the Edmonton Oilers won their first of five Stanley Cups in seven years. They downed the visiting New York Islanders 5-2 to win the NHL final in five games.
In 1985, Air Canada and the union representing 2,900 striking ticket agents signed an agreement ending a three-week walkout.
In 1991, martial law courts in Kuwait began trying people accused of collaborating with Iraqi occupation forces. One man received a life sentence for wearing a Saddam Hussein T-shirt. The trials were halted due to international criticism.
In 1994, former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died of cancer at her New York home at age 64.
In 1996, Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau began his second of three space missions. During his 11 days on the shuttle "Endeavour," Garneau used the Canadian-built robot arm to retrieve a scientific satellite. He also performed several scientific experiments, including three developed by Canadians.
In 1996, the RCMP stormed an armed barricade to end a five-week standoff at the Waterhen native reserve in Manitoba. Thirty-two people were arrested.
In 1997, for the first time in four years, fishermen dropped their nets for cod off southern Newfoundland. A small commercial fishery re-opened off the south coast and in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The fishery had been completely closed in 1993 due to declining stocks.
In 2002, East Timor became the world's newest independent country and the UN's 190th member.
In 2004, Manmohan Singh, an economist whose reforms opened up India's economy, was chosen prime minister of India, ending weeks of turmoil that culminated with Sonia Gandhi's refusal to take the post. Singh was India's first non-Hindu prime minister.
In 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal government survived after Liberal Speaker Peter Milliken broke a tie on a confidence vote. It was the first time in Canadian history that happened on a confidence vote, keeping the Liberals in government by a vote of 153-152.
In 2006, after 22 years in prison, convicted murderer Colin Thatcher was granted day parole after a National Parole Board hearing in Winnipeg. The former Saskatchewan cabinet minister was convicted of first-degree murder in 1984 in the shooting death of his ex-wife.
In 2006, Nepal declared itself a secular state, ending its unique status as the world's last Hindu kingdom. Nepal's parliament passed a proclamation stripping King Gyanendra of his powers.
In 2010, the Thailand army stormed an anti-government camp, dispersing thousands of protesters who had been camped in Bangkok's premier shopping and residential district. About 90 people were killed and more than 1,400 were wounded over the 10 weeks of protests that had begun in March to try to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call early elections.
In 2011, business networking website LinkedIn went public with a stock offering, initially issued at US$45 then trading as high as US$122.70 before closing at US$94.25 on a trading volume of 30 million shares and a market value of US$9 billion.
In 2013, Nigel Wright, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chief of staff, resigned four days after the PM's Office disclosed he'd written a $90,000 cheque to cover the disallowed housing expenses of Sen. Mike Duffy. Harper said he had no knowledge of the payment. In 2014, the RCMP said it would not be pursuing criminal charges against Wright.
In 2016, Toronto-born Morley Safer, the veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent who was equally at home reporting on social injustices and who exposed a military atrocity in Vietnam that played an early role in changing Americans' view of the war, died at age 84 a week after announcing his retirement.
In 2016, EgyptAir flight 804 from Paris to Cairo crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, killing all 66 on board, including two Canadians.
In 2016, the RCMP announced they would not charge Sen. Pamela Wallin after a criminal review of her Senate travel expenses, nearly three years after they first started looking at the Saskatchewan senator and weeks after a judge dismissed 31 criminal charges against Sen. Mike Duffy.
In 2018, Prince Harry married American actress/humanitarian Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. She became the first English royal of black heritage in modern history. The couple were bestowed the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
In 2018, former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Johnny Manziel announced on Twitter that he signed with the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was out of football for two years and looking to salvage his career after a turbulent and unsuccessful stint with the NFL's Cleveland Browns. (He was traded to the Montreal Alouettes in late July, not having appeared in any regular season games).
In 2018, Kentucky Derby winner Justify emerged from the fog and sloshed his way to capture the Preakness, the second jewel of thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown.
In 2020, Kaie Kellough was named the Canadian winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize. The Montreal-based writer was virtually awarded the $65,000 honour for "Magnetic Equator,'' published by McClelland & Stewart. The Griffin is billed as the world's largest prize for a first-edition single collection of poetry written in or translated into English. The winners are typically feted at a swanky Toronto gala, but the 2020 literary bash was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Canada's military police said they had referred their investigation into the general who oversaw Canada's vaccination campaign to Quebec's prosecution service. Military police also confirmed that the investigation related to an allegation of sexual misconduct against Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin.
In 2021, "Schitt's Creek'' was the big winner on night three of the virtual Canadian Screen Awards, bringing in more accolades for its sixth and final season. The internationally heralded CBC sitcom, which won seven Emmys and two Golden Globes since it wrapped last year, took six CSA trophies honouring creative arts and performance categories.
In 2022, the U.S. Soccer Federation reached milestone agreements to pay its men's and women's teams equally. The American national governing body became the first in the sport to promise completely matching compensation. The move ended years of often acrimonious negotiations.
In 2022, the federal government banned Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE from the 5G network after other countries made the same decision. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said the government would also introduce new legislation to protect critical infrastructure. China's ambassador to Canada warned in 2021 the country would pay a price for blocking Huawei.
In 2022, the Public Health Agency of Canada said two cases of monkeypox in Quebec were the first confirmed cases in the country.
In 2023, Princess Anne started a visit to New Brunswick to mark the 175 years of service of the 8th Canadian Hussars. She has been colonel-in-chief of the regiment since June, 1972. Members of the reserve regiment have served in Afghanistan, and have helped Maritimers after ice storms, floods and hurricanes.
In 2023, Parks Canada said it would be rewriting more than 200 historical plaques to reflect the fact many historical figures held and acted on beliefs that are now found to be unacceptable. Director of Heritage Pat Kell says the texts reflect outdated assumptions and the changes are being partly driven by the 2015 report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
In 2023, after a bitter, nearly six-week standoff, Newfoundland and Labrador's snow crab fishery started up. The Fish Food and Allied Workers Union sign a deal with the province's seafood processors that guaranteed crab fishers $2.20 a pound for their catch, and price hikes up to $2.75 a pound if the market improves.
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The Canadian Press
