Historical Events May 8 William Coddington founds Newport, Rhode Island May 20 Dorchester Massachusetts forms 1st school funded by local taxes Events in 1639 Famous Deaths May 21 Tommaso Campanella, Italian theologian, philosopher and poet, dies at 70 Mar 1639 History by Year Jun 1639 What Happened in 1639 Great Sacrifice of a Plague-Ridden VillageApril 28, 1639 Transit of VenusNovember 24, 1639
