Historical Events
- May 26 Territory South of River Ohio created by US Congress
Constitution of the United States
May 29 Rhode Island becomes last of original 13 colonies ratifying US Constitution
Famous Birthdays
- May 6 Wilhelm Würfel, Bohemian pianist, conductor, teacher, and composer, born in Plaňány, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1832)
- May 12 [Johannes] Carsten Hauch, Danish poet and writer, born in Frederikshald, Norway (d. 1872)
- May 23 Jules Dumont d'Urville, French explorer and naval officer, born in Condé-sur-Noireau, France (d. 1842)
Famous Deaths
- May 4 Matthew Tilghman, American delegate to the Continental Congress (b. 1718)
- May 9 William Clingan, American delegate to the Continental Congress
- May 16 Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, English politician, dies at 70
- May 21 Thomas Warton, English critic and poet (Pleasures of Melancholy) British Poet Laureate (1785-90), dies at 62
- May 27 Jeremiah Carlton, laziest man in history, heir to a large fortune at 19 went to bed & stayed there for next 70 yrs, dies at 89
- May 29 Israel Putnam, American Revolutionary War general (b. 1718)
