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The First Oscars Founding — May 16, 1929
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The First Oscars Founding — May 16, 1929

1929, The First Oscars Founding, in Hollywood, California, honored film achievements, w...

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Las Vegas Founding — May 15, 1905
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Las Vegas Founding — May 15, 1905

May 15, 1905, marked the official founding of Las Vegas, a city that would grow from 25...

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Israeli Independence — May 14, 1948
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Israeli Independence — May 14, 1948

On May 14, 1948, the Jewish People's Council, led by David Ben-Gurion, declared the est...

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Giro d'Italia Launch — May 13, 1909
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Giro d'Italia Launch — May 13, 1909

The first edition of the Giro d'Italia, a long-distance multiple-stage bicycle race, be...

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Z3 Computer Presentation — May 12, 1941
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Z3 Computer Presentation — May 12, 1941

1941: Z3 Computer Presentation in Berlin, Germany, where Konrad Zuse unveiled the world...

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Byzantium Dedication Creation — May 11, 330
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Byzantium Dedication Creation — May 11, 330

330, Byzantium dedication: Constantine the Great renames it Constantinople, Roman Empir...

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On This Day, May 17

  • 2014: A military plane crash in northern Laos kills 17 people.
  • 2010: Pamir Airways Flight 112 crashes in Afghanistan's Shakardara District, killing 44.
  • 2007: Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953.
  • 2006: The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany is sunk in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef.
  • 2004: The first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. are performed in the state of Massachusetts.

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