What are the important events that happened on May 10? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

May 10: Facts & Myths About This Day

May 10 is the 131^st day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 235 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is April 27, 2024 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 1,715,299,200 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘hectatriacontahenagon’ day.

Taurus is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Emerald is the modern birthstone for this month. Sapphire is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 264 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,158 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

May 10 Historical Events

• 1655 –
  England, with troops under the command of Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables, annexes Jamaica from Spain.
• 1768 –
  John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for The North Briton severely criticizing King George III. This action provokes rioting in London.
• 1775 –
  American Revolutionary War: A small Colonial militia led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold captures Fort Ticonderoga.
• 1796 –
  First Coalition: Napoleon I of France wins a decisive victory against Austrian forces at Lodi bridge over the Adda River in Italy. The Austrians lose some 2,000 men.
• 1849 –
  Astor Place Riot: A riot breaks out at the Astor Opera House in Manhattan, New York City over a dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, killing at least 25 and injuring over 120.
• 1865 –
  American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is captured by Union troops near Irwinville, Georgia.
• 1869 –
  The First Transcontinental Railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah (not Promontory Point, Utah) with the golden spike.
• 1940 –
  World War II: Invasion of Iceland by the United Kingdom.
• 1948 –
  The Republic of China implements “temporary provisions” granting President Chiang Kai-shek extended powers to deal with the Communist uprising; they will remain in effect until 1991.
• 1981 –
  François Mitterrand wins the presidential election and becomes the first Socialist President of France in the French Fifth Republic.

Who were born on May 10?

• 1931 –
  Ettore Scola, Italian director and screenwriter
• 1934 –
  Jeanine Basinger, American film scholar
• 1935 –
  Larry Williams, American singer and songwriter (d. 1980)
• 1938 –
  Jean Becker, French director, screenwriter and actor
• 1967 –
  Young MC, American rapper
• 1973 –
  Ollie le Roux, South African rugby player
• 1976 –
  Steve Howard, Scottish footballer
• 1977 –
  Denise Ho, Hong Kong singer
• 1981 –
  Samuel Dalembert, Haitian basketball player
• 1985 –
  Ryan Getzlaf, Canadian ice hockey player

Who died on May 10?

• 1691 –
  Colonel John Birch, English soldier (b. 1615)
• 1774 –
  King Louis XV of France (b. 1710)
• 1775 –
  Marie Magdalene Charlotte Ackermann, German actress (b. 1757)
• 1798 –
  George Vancouver, British navy officer and explorer (b. 1757)
• 1989 –
  Woody Shaw, American jazz musician (b. 1944)
• 1990 –
  Walker Percy, American author (b. 1916)
• 2001 –
  Sudhakarrao Naik, Indian politician (b. 1934)
• 2006 –
  Raizo Matsuno, Japanese politician (b. 1917)
• 2006 –
  Soraya, Colombian-American singer (b. 1969)
• 2010 –
  Frank Frazetta, American artist (b. 1928)