Historical Events
- May 3 Constitution of May 3 is proclaimed by the Great Sejm (Parliament) of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, becoming the 1st modern constitution in Europe
Self-denying Ordinance
May 15 Maximilien Robespierre proposes the self-denying ordinance, making it so that no deputy who sat in the Constituent Assembly could sit in the succeeding Assembly
Famous Birthdays
- May 11 Jan Václav Voříšek, Czech pianist, organist, and composer, born in Vamberk, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1825)
- May 15 Baron Floris van Hall, Dutch nobleman and politician (Prime Minister 1853-56, and 1860-61), born in Amsterdam, Dutch Republic (now Netherlands) (d. 1866)
- May 29 Pietro Romani, Italian conductor and composer, born in Rome (d. 1877)
Famous Deaths
Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791)
May 9 American judge, signer of the Declaration of Independence, author, flag designer (first American flag), and composer (The Battle of the Kegs), dies from an apoplectic seizure at 53
