What Happened in May 1754

Historical Events

  • May 9 1st newspaper cartoon in America-divided snake "Join or Die"

Battle of Jumonville Glen

May 28 Battle of Jumonville Glen: forces led by George Washington kill French Canadian officer Joseph Coulon de Jumonville

Famous Birthdays

  • May 2 Vicente Martín y Soler, Valencian composer, born in Valencia, Spain (d. 1806)
  • May 10 Asmus Jakob Carstens, Danish-German Neoclassical painter, born near Schleswig, Denmark (d. 1798)
  • May 12 Franz Anton Hoffmeister, German composer, born in Rottenburg am Neckar, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1812)
  • May 15 Pierre Dutillieu, French-Italian opera composer, born in Lyon, France (d. 1798)
  • May 20 Hans Gram, Danish-American organist, composer, and musicologist, born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1804)
  • May 23 Andrea Appiani, Italian royal painter (Napoleon), born in Milan (d. 1817)
  • May 24 Giacomo Conti, Italian composer, born in Milan, Italy (d. 1805)

Famous Deaths

  • May 14 Pierre-Claude Nivelle de La Chaussée, French writer (L’École des Mères), dies at 62
  • May 16 Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari, Italian composer, dies at 76
  • May 23 John Wood, architect/town planner, dies