Today In History [22nd May, 2015]

A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.

Today in History
May 22
1246           Henry Raspe is elected anti-king by the Rhenish prelates in France.
1455           King Henry VI is taken prisoner by the Yorkists at the Battle of St. Albans, during the War of the Roses.
1804           The Lewis and Clark Expedition officially begins as the Corps of Discovery departs from St. Charles, Missouri.
1856           U.S. Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beats Senator Charles Sumner with a cane for Sumner's earlier condemnation of slavery, which included an insult to Brooks' cousin, Senator Andrew Butler.
1863           Union General Ulysses S. Grant's second attack on Vicksburg fails and a siege begins.
1868           The "Great Train Robbery" takes place as seven members of the Reno Gang make off with $98,000 in cash from a train's safe in Indiana.
1872           The Amnesty Act restores civil rights to Southerners.
1882           The United States formally recognizes Korea.
1908           The Wright brothers register their flying machine for a U.S. patent.
1939           Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini sign a "Pact of Steel" forming the Axis powers.
1947           The Truman Doctrine brings aid to Turkey and Greece.
1967           The children's program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood premiers.
1972           Ceylon becomes the Republic of Sri Lanka as its constitution is ratified.
1985           Baseball player Pete Rose passes Hank Aaron as National League run scoring leader with 2,108.
1987           An Iraqi missile hits the American frigate USS Stark in the Persian Gulf.
1990           In the Middle East, North and South Yemen merge to become a single state.


Born on May 22
1813           Richard Wagner, German composer.
1828           Albrecht von Grafe, German eye surgeon, founder of modern opthamology.
1844           Mary Cassatt, impressionist painter.
1859           Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author, creator of the Sherlock Holmes series.
1907           Laurence Olivier, actor.
1920           Thomas Gold, astronomer.
1927           Peter Mathiessen, writer.