Historical Events
- May 26 Territory South of River Ohio created by US Congress
Constitution of the United States
May 29 Rhode Island becomes last of original 13 colonies ratifying US Constitution
- May 31 Alferez Manuel Quimper explores the Strait of Juan de Fuca (now the international border between Canada and the US)
- May 31 US copyright law enacted
Famous Birthdays
- May 6 Wilhelm Würfel, Bohemian pianist, conductor, teacher, and composer, born in Plaňány, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1832)
- May 12 [Johannes] Carsten Hauch, Danish poet and writer, born in Frederikshald, Norway (d. 1872)
- May 23 Jules Dumont d'Urville, French explorer and naval officer, born in Condé-sur-Noireau, France (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)
