On This Day - What Happened On May 16 | Britannica

🤑 Explore Britannica's Newest Newsletter: Money Matters Learn More Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos A Britannica Newsletter Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP ADD TO YOUR INBOX Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! By clicking "Add To Your Inbox"tapping "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Home On This Day TODAY IN HISTORY May 16 What Happened On Your Bday? Go to Today's Date

Featured Event

1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising suppressed On this day in 1943, Nazi troops quelled the month-long Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, in which Polish Jews and partisan fighters, led by Mordecai Anielewicz and the Jewish Fighting Organization, resisted deportation to the Treblinka extermination camp. National Archives and Records Administration/United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, www.ushmm.org

Featured Biography

Henry Fonda American actor bornMay 16, 1905Grand Island, NebraskadiedAugust 12, 1982 (aged 77)Los Angeles, CaliforniaMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. 1966 Janet Jackson American entertainer 1953 Pierce Brosnan Irish American actor 1919 Liberace American pianist 1905 Henry Fonda American actor 1861 H.H. Holmes American serial killer See All Biographies On This Day

More Events On This Day

2019 Chinese-born American architect I.M. Pei, who was known for his large, elegantly designed urban buildings and complexes, died at age 102. Test your knowledge of architecturePiero Oliosi—Polaris/Newscom 2007 French politician Nicolas Sarkozy was sworn in as president of France. He served one term, losing office to François Hollande in 2012. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about France© Markwaters/Dreamstime.com 1986 The action blockbuster Top Gun was released in American theatres, and it made Tom Cruise an international star. Take our quiz about A-list actorsParamount Pictures 1975 Tabei Junko of Japan, accompanied by Ang Tsering of Nepal, became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Find out whether Mount Everest is actually the tallest mountain in the world© Lee Klopfer/Alamy 1966 American rock group the Beach Boys released their masterwork, Pet Sounds, a bittersweet pastiche of songs recalling the pangs of unrequited love and other coming-of-age trials. How much do you know about rock music?Dezo Hoffmann—REX/Shutterstock.com 1961 The military seized power in South Korea, overthrowing the Second Republic, as General Park Chung-Hee took over the government machinery, dissolved the National Assembly, and imposed a strict ban on political activity. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about North and South KoreaUniversal History Archive/REX/Shutterstock.com 1955 Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut—who won three gold medals at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, West Germany, where she captivated audiences with her charm, youth, and diminutive size—was born in Belorussia (now Belarus). Take our quiz about the Olympic GamesAP Images 1929 The first Academy Awards were presented in a ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Janet Gaynor and Emil Jannings won for best actress and best actor, respectively. How much do you know about the history of Hollywood?Tim Boyle—Getty Images Entertainment 1920 Joan of Arc, national heroine of France, was canonized as a saint by Pope Benedict XV. Read about six teenagers who made history© G. Dagli Orti—DeAgostini/Getty Images 1868 The first of two key votes was held in the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Andrew Johnson, who was ultimately acquitted of all charges. Learn the history of what happens when a U.S. president can't finish his term Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 1866 The U.S. Congress passed legislation that called for the creation of a five-cent piece composed of nickel and copper; the currency became known as the nickel. Test your knowledge of the history of currencyAdstockRF 1801 American politician William H. Seward—who is perhaps best known for his purchase of Alaska (1867) while serving as U.S. secretary of state (1861–69)—was born in Florida, New York. Take our quiz about American history and politicsCourtesy of the U.S. Signal Corps 1770 Marie-Antoinette married the future King Louis XVI of France. Did Marie-Antoinette really say “Let them eat cake”?Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Timken Collection (1960.6.41) 1763 In London Samuel Johnson met James Boswell, who published his famous biography, Life of Johnson, in 1791. Test your knowledge of the lives and works of English authorsPhotos.com/Thinkstock SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.