This Month in History: May

Jamestown colony

May 14, 1607 - Jamestown, Va. founded

In 1607, 104 Englishmen arrived in North America to start a settlement they named Jamestown, for King James I. The settlement was funded by the royally chartered Virginia Company and became the first permanent English settlement in North America. The site for Jamestown was picked for several reasons. It was sheltered, close to deep waters, and wasn’t inhabited by the Native population. The settlers built a fort to protect themselves from the local Powhatans, on whose hunting land they were living. Relations were mixed between the newcomers and the Powhatans, though John Smith was good at trading glass beads, copper, and iron implements in exchange for food. The first few years were difficult. By 1609, 80% of the settlers had died from starvation or disease. If not for Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas’s father, sending gifts of food to help, the settlement would most likely have failed. In 1610, ships arrived from England with supplies, and the settlement was revived. John Rolfe brought a new strain of tobacco, and Jamestown finally became a profitable venture for the Virginia Company. (Jamestown 1614 by Sidney King) 

Learn more about Jamestown:

Adults: 

Children:

Learn more about Jamestown's historical figures:

Adults:

Children:

Amelia Earhart in front of her plane

May 20, 1932 - Amelia Earhart's Atlantic solo flight

Amelia Earhart’s passion for flying would take her around the globe. In 1923, she became the 16th woman in the United States to be issued a pilot’s license. Earhart spent the next 14 years promoting commercial aviation and becoming a celebrity as she broke down barriers for women. In an era where air travel was novel and dangerous, Earhart logged many notable firsts, such as when she flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. She departed Newfoundland, Canada, at 7 p.m. and landed near Londonderry, North Ireland, completing a 2,026-mile flight in about 13 hours. On July 2, 1937, Earhart made her final flight. Her Lockheed Electra disappeared near Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean while she was attempting an around-the-world flight. Her remains have never been found.

Learn more about Amelia Earhart:

Adults:

Children:

Learn more about female pilots:

Adults: 

Children:

Joan of Arc fore-edge painting

May 30, 1431 - Joan of Arc executed for heresy

Jeanne d’Arc was a peasant girl who was not taught to read or write, but her mother instilled in Joan a strong belief in God. France and England were at war, and in 1420 a peace treaty made Henry V king of both countries. When Joan was 13, she began to hear voices, which she determined were sent by God. She believed it was her mission to save France by expelling its enemies and helping install the crown prince as its rightful king. In 1428, Joan cut her hair and donned men’s clothes to travel to the prince’s palace and convince him to allow her to lead a French army to the city of Orléans, where it achieved a momentous victory. After seeing the prince crowned King Charles VII, Joan was captured by the enemy. The newly crowned king did nothing to help. She was charged with a multitude of crimes, including witchcraft, heresy, and dressing like a man. In 1431, after a year in prison and at the age of 19, Joan was burned at the stake. By the time she was officially canonized in 1920, Joan was considered one of history's greatest saints. She was immortalized in numerous works of art and literature as an enduring symbol of French unity and nationalism. (Joan of Arc fore-edge painting from Picryl)

Learn more about Joan of Arc:

Adults:

Children:

Learn more about women warriors:

Adults:

Children:

Tulsa buildings on fire

May 31, 1921 - Tulsa Race Massacre

Following World War I, Tulsa, Oklahoma, was recognized nationally for its affluent African American community known as the Greenwood District. On the morning of May 30, a young Black man named Dick Rowland was riding an elevator when the white female operator supposedly screamed. Tulsa police arrested Rowland the following day and began an investigation. An article in the Tulsa Tribune spurred a confrontation between Black and white armed mobs around the courthouse where the sheriff and his men had barricaded the top floor to protect Rowland. Shots were fired, and the outnumbered African Americans retreated to the Greenwood District. In the early morning hours of June 1, white rioters looted and burned Greenwood. The governor declared martial law, and National Guard troops arrived. Guardsmen assisted firemen in putting out fires and rounded up all Black Tulsans. Over 6,000 people were held at the fairgrounds, some for as long as eight days. In the wake of the violence, 35 city blocks lay in charred ruins, more than 800 people were treated for injuries, and contemporary reports of deaths began at 36. Historians now believe as many as 300 people may have died. (Tulsa image from Flickr)

Learn more about the Tulsa Race Massacre:

Adults:

Children:

Learn more about other massacres and riots:

Adults:

Children:

Factual information from the National Park Service, the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, History, and the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum.

Tags

By BethN on April 29, 2024