On This Day - What Happened On May 9 - Britannica

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1502 Fourth and final voyage of Christopher Columbus launched On this day in 1502, master navigator and admiral Christopher Columbus, long considered the “discoverer” of the New World, set sail from Cádiz, Spain, on his fourth and final voyage, hoping to find a passage to Asia. Photos.com/Thinkstock

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Howard Carter British archaeologist bornMay 9, 1874Swaffham, EnglanddiedMarch 2, 1939 (aged 64)London, England© Lee Boltin 1949 Billy Joel American musician 1936 Albert Finney British actor 1934 Alan Bennett British playwright 1874 Howard Carter British archaeologist 1860 J.M. Barrie Scottish author See All Biographies On This Day

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2020 American singer and pianist Little Richard, whose hit songs of the mid-1950s were defining moments in the development of rock and roll, died at age 87. How much do you know about rock and roll?© Featureflash/Shutterstock.com 1980 The horror film classic Friday the 13th, about summer camp counselors being hunted by a masked killer, was released in theatres, and its huge success led to a popular franchise. Test your knowledge of scary movies 1974 The U.S. House Judiciary Committee began formal hearings in the impeachment investigation of President Richard M. Nixon. Read about nine American political scandals© Gianni Ferrari—Cover/Getty Images 1960 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first birth control pill. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about the human body© cristi180884/Shutterstock.com 1958 Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller Vertigo, starring James Stewart and Kim Novak, premiered in San Francisco and became widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever. Test your knowledge of filmsParamount Pictures 1939 American track-and-field athlete Ralph Boston, the first man to jump more than 27 feet (8.23 metres), was born in Laurel, Mississippi. How much do you know about sports?UPI/Bettmann Archive 1936 Seven months after invading Ethiopia and driving Emperor Haile Selassie I into exile, Italy annexed Ethiopia as part of Italian East Africa.AP 1918 American television interviewer and reporter Mike Wallace—who, while on the show 60 Minutes, became known for his aggressive and bruising style—was born. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about famous AmericansHulton Archive/Getty Images 1860 Dramatist J.M. Barrie—best known for Peter Pan, the title character of which is an eternal boy—was born in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland. Test your knowledge of literary charactersThe Bridgeman Art Library/Art Resource, New York 1800 American abolitionist John Brown—who led an assault (1859) on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, that was the main precipitating incident to the American Civil War—was born in Torrington, Connecticut. Take our quiz about the American Civil WarHulton Archive/Getty Images 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.