Scott Allsop's Blog, page 40

10th May 1801: The First Barbary War began when Tripoli declared war on the United States

The First Barbary War lasted until June 1805, but continuing tensions led to the Second Barbary War in ...

9th May 1386: Treaty of Windsor, the longest-lasting diplomatic treaty in recorded history, signed between Portugal and England

The Treaty of Windsor was negotiated by King John I of Portugal and John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, on behalf of the English king Richard II and remains in force. This makes it the longest-lasting diplomatic treaty in recorded history, and even served as the basis for Portuguese assistance to Britain during the Second World ...

7th May 1253: William of Rubruck sets out on his journey into the Mongol Empire that resulted in a masterpiece of medieval travel literature

William traveled to the court of the Great Khan of the Mongols, and wrote about his experiences in a report for Louis IX that is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of medieval travel ...

6th May 1906: Russia enacts the Fundamental Laws, which serve as the Constitution of 1906

Alongside the establishment of the bicameral State Duma, the constitution granted citizens freedom of speech, assembly, and association, and provided for the protection of private ...

5th May 1961: Astronaut Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel in space on board Freedom 7

The flight lasted for 15 minutes and 22 seconds and reached a maximum altitude of 116 miles before returning to earth for splashdown in the Atlantic ...

4th May 1926: General strike of 1.7 million workers begins in the United Kingdom.

Essential services such as transportation, utilities, and communication networks were severely disrupted by the General Strike and the Conservative government, led by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, was forced to declare a state of emergency and mobilise troops to maintain order and provide essential ...

3rd May 1978: The world’s first ‘spam’ email sent by Gary Thuerk of Digital Equipment Corporation

Thuerk later revealed that around 40 people came to the demonstrations the email was advertising, and estimated that this led to more than $12 million in ...

2nd May 1946: The Battle of Alcatraz began when armed inmates attempted to escape from the high security prison

By the time the authorities re-established control on the morning of 4 May, two prison officers and three perpetrators lay ...

1st May 1840: The Penny Black, the world’s first pre-paid postage stamp, goes on sale in the UK

The Penny Black allowed letters weighing up to half an ounce (14 grams) to be delivered for one penny, regardless of the distance travelled. This made sending mail more accessible and affordable, leading to a significant increase in postal traffic and the growth of the postal ...

30th April 1789: George Washington inaugurated as the first President of the United States of America

Washington's inauguration was conducted on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street, with thousands of spectators gathered below to witness the historic ...