By Publisher
Kindly share:
MAY 10
Nelson Mandela Sworn in as President (1994)
What happened: Mandela officially took office as South Africa’s president in a moving inauguration ceremony.
How and why: His election concluded South Africa’s first fully democratic election, signaling a hopeful new era after decades of apartheid oppression.
Aftermath: Mandela’s leadership prioritized reconciliation, nation-building, and laying the foundations for a multiracial democracy, even amid massive challenges.
Second Continental Congress Convenes (1775 )
What happened: Delegates from the Thirteen Colonies gathered in Philadelphia to manage the colonial war effort and move toward independence.
How and why: After the Battles of Lexington and Concord, revolution seemed inevitable. The Congress established the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief.
Aftermath: This Congress would eventually approve the Declaration of Independence, fundamentally altering world history.
First U.S. Transcontinental Railroad Completed (1869)
What happened: The Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads were joined at Promontory Summit, Utah, with the ceremonial “Golden Spike.”
How and why: Driven by economic ambitions and Manifest Destiny, the railroad connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, transforming commerce and settlement patterns.
Aftermath: The railway dramatically accelerated the settlement of the American West, though it also hastened the displacement of Native American peoples.
