What Happened in May 1790

Historical Events

  • May 26 Territory South of River Ohio created by US Congress

/flags/united statesConstitution of the United States

May 29 Rhode Island becomes last of original 13 colonies ratifying US Constitution More >>

Page one of the original copy of the Constitution of the United States
Page one of the original copy of the Constitution of the United States
  • May 31 US copyright law enacted
  • May 31 Alferez Manuel Quimper explores the Strait of Juan de Fuca

Famous Birthdays

  • May 6 Vaclav Vilem Wurfel, composer
  • May 12 [Johannes] Carsten Hauch, Danish writer
  • May 23 Jules Dumont d'Urville, French explorer (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)