1291
735 years ago
UK story
Scottish nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England pending the selection of a king.
On this day: 10 May
128 things happened on 10 May, from 28 BC to 2024. UK stories come first, then the rest of the world.
In the UK 6
UK history first: stories from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
1591
435 years ago
UK story
Elizabeth I is entertained by the Hermit's Welcome at Theobalds.
1773
253 years ago
UK story
The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Tea Act, designed to save the British East India Company by reducing taxes on its tea and granting it the right to sell tea directly to North America. The legislation leads to the Boston Tea Party.
1824
202 years ago
UK story
The National Gallery in London opens to the public.
1940
86 years ago
UK story
British prime minister Neville Chamberlain resigned and formally recommended Winston Churchill as his successor.
2022
4 years ago
UK story
Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years. It was the first time that a new session of Parliament was opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge acting as Counsellors of State.
Around the world 33
28 BC
2,053 years ago
Chinese astronomers during the Han dynasty made the first precisely dated observation of a sunspot.
1294
732 years ago
Temür, Khagan of the Mongols, is enthroned as Emperor of the Yuan dynasty.
1497
529 years ago
Amerigo Vespucci allegedly leaves Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World.
1503
523 years ago
Christopher Columbus visits the Cayman Islands and names them Las Tortugas after the numerous turtles there.
1534
492 years ago
Jacques Cartier visits Newfoundland.
1627
399 years ago
Dutch explorer Pieter Nuyts was appointed governor of Formosa (modern-day Taiwan) by the Dutch East India Company.
1688
338 years ago
King Narai nominates Phetracha as regent, leading to the revolution of 1688 in which Phetracha becomes king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
1713
313 years ago
Great Northern War: The Russian Navy led by Admiral Fyodor Apraksin land both at Katajanokka and Hietalahti during the Battle of Helsinki.
1774
252 years ago
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette become King and Queen of France.
1775
251 years ago
American Revolutionary War: Delegates from the Thirteen Colonies met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to convene the Second Continental Congress, which would serve as the de facto national government of the future United States.
1796
230 years ago
War of the First Coalition: Napoleon wins a victory against Austrian forces at Lodi bridge over the Adda River in Italy. The Austrians lose some 2,000 men.
1801
225 years ago
First Barbary War: The Barbary corsairs of Tripoli declared war on the United States by cutting down the flagstaff in front of the U.S. consulate.
1833
193 years ago
Siamese–Vietnamese wars: Lê Văn Khôi escaped from prison to begin a revolt against Emperor Minh Mạng, primarily to avenge his adoptive father, Vietnamese general Lê Văn Duyệt.
1837
189 years ago
Panic of 1837: New York City banks suspend the payment of specie, triggering a national banking crisis and an economic depression whose severity was not surpassed until the Great Depression.
1869
157 years ago
The First transcontinental railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory with the golden spike.
1872
154 years ago
Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for President of the United States.
1876
150 years ago
The Centennial Exposition is opened in Philadelphia.
1881
145 years ago
Carol I is crowned the King of the Romanian Kingdom.
1904
122 years ago
The Horch & Cir. Motorwagenwerke AG is founded. It would eventually become the Audi company.
1908
118 years ago
Mother's Day is observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia.
1916
110 years ago
Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrives at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island.
1922
104 years ago
The United States annexes the Kingman Reef.
1940
86 years ago
World War II: German forces commenced their invasion of Belgium.
1942
84 years ago
World War II: The Thai Phayap Army invades the Shan States during the Burma Campaign.
1946
80 years ago
First successful launch of an American V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground.
1962
64 years ago
Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk.
1969
57 years ago
Vietnam War: The Battle of Dong Ap Bia begins with an assault on Hill 937. It will ultimately become known as Hamburger Hill.
1975
51 years ago
Sony introduces the Betamax videocassette recorder.
1994
32 years ago
Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa's first black president.
2002
24 years ago
FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds.
2013
13 years ago
One World Trade Center (pictured) in New York City, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, was topped out at a height of 1,776 feet (541 m).
2017
9 years ago
Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces, assisted by the U.S. military, captured the Tabqa Dam and surrounding countryside, completing the Battle of Tabqa.
2024
2 years ago
Start of the May 2024 solar storms, the most powerful set of geomagnetic storms since the 2003 Halloween solar storms.
Quick quiz
Every answer is somewhere on this page. Have a go, then check!
-
In which year did this happen: “British prime minister Neville Chamberlain resigned and formally recommended”?
- 1940
- 1773
- 1824
Show the answer
A: 1940. 1940 — that’s 86 years ago. Find it on the page
-
In which year did this happen: “Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time”?
- 2022
- 1886
- 1957
Show the answer
A: 2022. 2022 — that’s 4 years ago. Find it on the page
-
Which of these happened first?
- Elizabeth I is entertained by the Hermit's Welcome at Theobalds
- Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time
- British prime minister Neville Chamberlain resigned and formally recommended
Show the answer
A: Elizabeth I is entertained by the Hermit's Welcome at Theobalds. 1591: Elizabeth I is entertained by the Hermit's Welcome at Theobalds · 2022: Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time · 1940: British prime minister Neville Chamberlain resigned and formally recommended Find it on the page
-
“Elizabeth I is entertained by the Hermit's Welcome at Theobalds” happened in 1591. How many years ago was that?
- 435 years
- 445 years
- 425 years
Show the answer
A: 435 years. 2026 − 1591 = 435. Find it on the page
Born on this day 31
Famous people whose birthday is 10 May.
- 1957 Sid Vicious — English singer and bass player (died 1979) UK Read more about Sid Vicious on Wikipedia
- 1899 Fred Astaire — American actor, singer, and dancer (died 1987) Read more about Fred Astaire on Wikipedia
- 1900 Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin — English-American astronomer and astrophysicist (died 1979) UK Read more about Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin on Wikipedia
- 1988 Adam Lallana — English footballer UK Read more about Adam Lallana on Wikipedia
- 1923 Heydar Aliyev — Azerbaijan general and politician, President of Azerbaijan (died 2003) Read more about Heydar Aliyev on Wikipedia
- 1886 Olaf Stapledon — English novelist and philosopher (died 1950) UK Read more about Olaf Stapledon on Wikipedia
- 1960 Bono — Irish singer-songwriter, musician and activist Read more about Bono on Wikipedia
- 1901 John Desmond Bernal — Irish-English crystallographer and physicist (died 1971) UK Read more about John Desmond Bernal on Wikipedia
- 1878 Gustav Stresemann — German journalist and politician, Chancellor of Germany, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1929) Read more about Gustav Stresemann on Wikipedia
- 1946 Donovan — Scottish singer-songwriter UK Read more about Donovan on Wikipedia
- 1966 Jonathan Edwards — English triple jumper UK Read more about Jonathan Edwards on Wikipedia
- 1969 Dennis Bergkamp — Dutch footballer and manager Read more about Dennis Bergkamp on Wikipedia
- 1982 Adebayo Akinfenwa — English footballer UK Read more about Adebayo Akinfenwa on Wikipedia
- 1886 Karl Barth — Swiss theologian and author (died 1968) Read more about Karl Barth on Wikipedia
- 1788 Augustin-Jean Fresnel — French physicist and engineer (died 1827) Read more about Augustin-Jean Fresnel on Wikipedia
- 1760 Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle — French captain, engineer, and composer (died 1836) Read more about Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle on Wikipedia
- 1843 Benito Pérez Galdós — Spanish author and playwright (died 1920) Read more about Benito Pérez Galdós on Wikipedia
- 1915 Denis Thatcher — English businessman, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 2003) UK Read more about Denis Thatcher on Wikipedia
- 1968 William Regal — English wrestler UK Read more about William Regal on Wikipedia
- 1930 George E. Smith — American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2025) Read more about George E. Smith on Wikipedia
- 1970 David Weir — Scottish footballer UK Read more about David Weir on Wikipedia
- 1879 Symon Petliura — Ukrainian journalist and politician (died 1926) Read more about Symon Petliura on Wikipedia
- 1946 Graham Gouldman — English guitarist and songwriter UK Read more about Graham Gouldman on Wikipedia
- 1946 Dave Mason — English singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2026) UK Read more about Dave Mason on Wikipedia
- 1997 Richarlison — Brazilian footballer Read more about Richarlison on Wikipedia
- 1933 Barbara Taylor Bradford — British novelist (died 2024) UK Read more about Barbara Taylor Bradford on Wikipedia
- 1876 Ivan Cankar — Slovenian poet and playwright (died 1918) Read more about Ivan Cankar on Wikipedia
- 1920 Bert Weedon — English guitarist (died 2012) UK Read more about Bert Weedon on Wikipedia
- 1985 Jon Schofield — English canoe racer UK Read more about Jon Schofield on Wikipedia
- 1974 Sylvain Wiltord — French footballer Read more about Sylvain Wiltord on Wikipedia
- 1993 Jake Zyrus — Filipino singer Read more about Jake Zyrus on Wikipedia
Remembering 17
Well-known people who died on 10 May.
- 1849 Hokusai — Japanese painter and illustrator (born 1760) Read more about Hokusai on Wikipedia
- 1829 Thomas Young — English physician and linguist (born 1773) UK Read more about Thomas Young on Wikipedia
- 1774 Louis XV — King of France (born 1710) Read more about Louis XV on Wikipedia
- 1977 Joan Crawford — American actress (year of birth disputed) Read more about Joan Crawford on Wikipedia
- 1798 George Vancouver — English navigator and explorer (born 1757) UK Read more about George Vancouver on Wikipedia
- 2022 Leonid Kravchuk — Ukrainian politician (born 1934) Read more about Leonid Kravchuk on Wikipedia
- 1787 William Watson — English physician, physicist, and botanist (born 1715) UK Read more about William Watson on Wikipedia
- 1889 Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin — Russian journalist, author, and playwright (born 1826) Read more about Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin on Wikipedia
- 1863 Stonewall Jackson — American general (born 1824) Read more about Stonewall Jackson on Wikipedia
- 1726 Charles Beauclerk — 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (born 1670) UK Read more about Charles Beauclerk on Wikipedia
- 1493 Colin Campbell — 1st Earl of Argyll, Scottish politician, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (born 1433) UK Read more about Colin Campbell on Wikipedia
- 1982 Peter Weiss — German playwright and painter (born 1916) Read more about Peter Weiss on Wikipedia
- 1521 Sebastian Brant — German author (born 1457) Read more about Sebastian Brant on Wikipedia
- 1910 Stanislao Cannizzaro — Italian chemist and academic (born 1826) Read more about Stanislao Cannizzaro on Wikipedia
- 2024 Jim Simons — American hedge fund manager, mathematician, and philanthropist (born 1938) Read more about Jim Simons on Wikipedia
- 1999 Shel Silverstein — American poet, author, and illustrator (born 1930) Read more about Shel Silverstein on Wikipedia
- 1960 Yury Olesha — Russian author, poet, and playwright (born 1899) Read more about Yury Olesha on Wikipedia
Special days 17
Festivals, holidays and saints’ days celebrated on 10 May somewhere in the world.
- Earliest possible day on which Pentecost can fall, while June 13 is the latest; celebrated 50 days after Easter Day. (Christianity) Read more about Pentecost on Wikipedia
- Mother's Day (Guatemala, and Mexico) Read more about Mother's Day on Wikipedia
- Children's Day (Maldives) Read more about Children's Day on Wikipedia
- Constitution Day (Micronesia) Read more about Constitution Day on Wikipedia
- Golden Spike Day (Promontory, Utah) Read more about Golden spike on Wikipedia
- Confederate Memorial Day (North Carolina and South Carolina) Read more about Confederate Memorial Day on Wikipedia
- Christian saints’ and feast days: Job (Roman Catholic Church), Blessed Ivan Merz, Damien of Molokai, John of Ávila, Catald, Calepodius, Comgall, Solange of Bourges, Alphius, Philadelphus and Cyrinus, Blessed Beatrice d'Este, May 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics).
For older readers 24 Show stories about war, disasters, crime and other difficult history
Content note: these entries mention things like war, violence, deaths, disasters or crime. They are part of history, but they can be upsetting. Grown-ups and teachers: you may want to read them first. They come straight from Wikipedia and have not been rewritten for children.
- 1941 World War II: German Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess (pictured) parachuted into Scotland in an attempt to negotiate peace with the British government. Read more about Rudolf Hess on Wikipedia
- 1941 World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid. Read more about House of Commons of the United Kingdom on Wikipedia
- 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857: In India, the first war of Independence begins. Sepoys mutiny against their commanding officers at Meerut. Read more about Indian Rebellion of 1857 on Wikipedia
- 1768 Rioting occurs in London after John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for The North Briton severely criticising King George III. Read more about John Wilkes on Wikipedia
- 1775 American Revolutionary War: A small force of Patriots led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured Fort Ticonderoga in New York, without significant injury or incident. Read more about American Revolutionary War on Wikipedia
- 2012 Suicide bombers detonated two car bombs outside a military intelligence complex in Damascus, killing 55 people. Read more about Suicide attack on Wikipedia
- 1940 World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg. Read more about World War II on Wikipedia
- 1996 A blizzard strikes Mount Everest, killing eight climbers by the next day. Read more about Mount Everest on Wikipedia
- 1994 American serial killer John Wayne Gacy was executed by lethal injection for the murders of twelve teenage boys and young men in a series of killings committed between 1972 and 1978. Read more about John Wayne Gacy on Wikipedia
- 1933 Censorship: In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings. Read more about Censorship on Wikipedia
- 1997 An earthquake registering 7.3 Mw struck near Qaen, Iran, killing at least 1,567 and leaving around 50,000 others homeless. Read more about 1997 Qayen earthquake on Wikipedia
- 2005 Vladimir Arutyunian attempted to assassinate U.S. president George W. Bush and Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili in Tbilisi using a hand grenade, which failed to detonate. Read more about Vladimir Arutyunian on Wikipedia
- 1849 A personal dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Macready in New York City devolved into a riot that left at least 22 dead and more than 120 injured. Read more about Edwin Forrest on Wikipedia
- 1933 As part of Nazi Germany's persecution of transgender people, thousands of books taken from the Institute for Sexual Science were burned in Bebelplatz square for being "un-German". Read more about Persecution of transgender people in Nazi Germany on Wikipedia
- 1924 J. Edgar Hoover is appointed first Director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and remains so until his death in 1972. Read more about J. Edgar Hoover on Wikipedia
- AD 946 Alberic II of Spoleto arranges the election of pope Agapetus II following the death of Pope Marinus II. Read more about Alberic II of Spoleto on Wikipedia
- 1890 Born: Alfred Jodl, German general (died 1946) Read more about Alfred Jodl on Wikipedia
- 1967 The Northrop M2-F2 crashes on landing, becoming the inspiration for the novel Cyborg and TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. Read more about Northrop M2-F2 on Wikipedia
- 1865 American Civil War: In Kentucky, Union soldiers ambush and mortally wound Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingers until his death on June 6. Read more about Quantrill's Raiders on Wikipedia
- 1961 Air France Flight 406 is destroyed by a bomb over the Sahara, killing 78. Read more about Air France Flight 406 on Wikipedia
- 1993 In Thailand, a fire at the Kader Toy Factory kills over 200 workers. Read more about Kader Toy Factory fire on Wikipedia
- 1838 Born: John Wilkes Booth, American actor, assassin of Abraham Lincoln (died 1865) Read more about John Wilkes Booth on Wikipedia
- 1899 Finnish farmworker Karl Emil Malmelin kills seven people with an axe at the Simola croft in the village of Klaukkala. Read more about Karl Emil Malmelin on Wikipedia
- 1955 Born: Mark David Chapman, American murderer Read more about Mark David Chapman on Wikipedia
Where these facts come from
Stories with a heading have been written for young readers by A Day in the Past, using the linked articles as sources. Other entries show text from Wikipedia’s “May 10” page and its “On this day” feed, written by Wikipedia contributors and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. Each “Read more” link goes to the article an entry is based on. Photos are credited under each picture. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us.