Tidbits of History, May 29

Learn About Composting Day
End of Middle Ages Day
National Biscuit Day

Birthday of Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736), American Revolutionary statesman who said “Give me Liberty or give me Death”.
The famous speech was given to the Virginia Convention. Henry was attempting to convince the Virginia House of Burgesses to pass a resolution delivering the Virginia troops to the Revolutionary War effort.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace – but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

May 29, 1660 – Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland becomes King, restoring the monarchy there.

 

Rhode Island header, May 29, 1790Rhode Island Admission Day Admitted to the Union in 1790 as the thirteenth state.

  • Capital: Providence
  • Nickname: The Ocean State/Little Rhody
  • Bird: Rhode Island Red
  • Flower: Violet
  • Tree: Red Maple
  • Motto: Hope

See our page for Rhode Island for more interesting facts and trivia about Rhode Island.

Wisconsin header, May 29, 1848Wisconsin Day Admitted May 29, 1848 as the thirtieth state.

  • Capital: Madison
  • Nickname: Badger State
  • Bird: Robin
  • Flower: Wood violet
  • Tree: Sugar Maple
  • Motto: Forward

See our page for Wisconsin for more interesting facts and trivia about Wisconsin.

1849 – Abraham Lincoln said:

“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.”

1886 – The Pharmacist John Pemberton placed his first advertisement for Coca-Cola, the ad appearing in The Atlanta Journal.

Kennedy assassinated 1963Birthday of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917), thirty-fifth president of the United States.

On May 29, 1922 the US Supreme Court ruled that organized baseball is a sport and not a business and thus is not subject to antitrust laws.

1942 – Bing Crosby, the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra record Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas”, the best-selling Christmas single in history.

May 29, 1953 – Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first people known to have reached the top of Mount Everest from the Nepalese side.

1978 – First class postage increased to 15 cents. It was increased another 3 cents to 18 cents in 1981.

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