Tidbits
May 23, 1785 – Bifocal Glasses Invented
Benjamin Franklin, American inventor, diplomat, patriot and one of the founding fathers, reveals his plans for his “double spectacles”. They later become known as bifocals. Franklin never had any of his inventions patented, which included the lightning rod, swim fins, a catheter, and many more. Franklin was only interested in helping his
fellow citizens, not making money from them.
May 24, 1775 – American Continental Congress
John Hancock is elected as president of the Second Continental Congress. Hancock and Samuel Adams were both members of the Sons of Liberty who had infuriated King George III, to the point that when amnesty was
offered to the American patriots, it was to the exclusion of Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
Hancock was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and is noted for his large signature. He wanted King George to see his signature without spectacles. Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence, in 1776.
May 25, 1935 – Baseball Player’s Last Home Run
Babe Ruth hits his 714th home run at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. This was one of Babe Ruth’s last games. The “Babe” went four for four on that day. Three of those were home runs. He was 40 years old at the time.
It wasn’t until May 28, 2006, that San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds, hit his 715th career home run to pass Babe Ruth’s record for the most home runs in MLB history.
May 26, 1868 – U.S. Senate Impeachment Trial
President Andrew Johnson is acquitted by the United States Senate by one vote. Johnson was accused of violating the Tenure of Office Act when he tried to remove Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton and replace him with Ulysses S. Grant. At the time, the Supreme Court wouldn’t hear the case, but several years later, the Tenure of Office Act was declared unconstitutional by the court.
May 27, 1941 – British Navy Sinks the German Battleship Bismarck
Hitler’s pride and joy, the Bismarck was sunk on this date. The Bismarck was quickly sunk by British torpedo planes, and only 115 of its 2,221-man crew survived.
Some claimed the Bismarck was the mightiest
battleship in World War II. That might have been true in 1940 but was not true by 1942. The Bismarck was equipped with 15-inch guns, but the American battleships were equipped with 16-inch guns, superior radar and analog computers to help aim the guns at long range. The Bismarck never squared off against any of the United States’s contemporary battleships during its career: The USS Iowa, USS Wisconsin, USS New Jersey, USS Missouri, USS North Dakota, USS Alabama or the USS Washington. Even the
old USS Texas was equipped with analog computers.
In World War II, the USS Alabama and the USS Washington tried to engage the German Battleship Tirpitz, but the Tirpitz didn’t want to get involved. The Tirpitz was the sister ship to the Bismarck.
May 28, 1918 – U.S.
Troops Score Victory at Cantigny, France.
This was the first American victory of World War I. General John Pershing argued for an independent U.S. command, and this victory gave credence to his argument. Up until this battle, the Germans thought American troops could easily be defeated. This proved to the Germans that American troops were as tough as they come.
May 29, 1780 – No Quarter Given
The term “Tarleton’s Quarter” is coined to describe British brutality to the American patriots. Colonel Banastre Tarleton massacred American patriots who had surrendered to the British. The massacre infuriated the Americans, so the Patriot’s Continental Militia returned the terror, by brutally attacking the Carolina
Loyalists – killing them without mercy.
