This Day in History: May 20

1498 Vasco da Gama reaches India by sea

Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived in Calicut, India, becoming the first European to reach India by sea. His successful expedition opened a sea route from Europe to the East, allowing for the establishment of direct trade links between Europe and Asia.

1609 Shakespeare's Sonnets first published in London

Shakespeare's Sonnets, a collection of 154 poems, were first published in London, possibly without the author's permission, by publisher Thomas Thorpe. The sonnets are considered one of the greatest works of English literature, showcasing Shakespeare's mastery of language and his exploration of themes such as love, beauty, and mortality.

1862 Homestead Act signed into law

US President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law, providing cheap land to settlers in the American West. Over 80 million acres of land were claimed by settlers under the Act by 1900, contributing to the westward expansion of the United States.

1864 Spotsylvania campaign ends in US Civil War

The Spotsylvania campaign, a series of brutal battles fought between the Union and Confederate armies in Virginia, ended after 10,920 soldiers were killed or injured. The campaign was part of General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign, which aimed to defeat the Confederate army and end the Civil War.

1873 Blue jeans patented

Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patented blue jeans, which would go on to become one of the most popular types of trousers worldwide. Originally designed as durable workwear for miners and laborers in the American West, jeans became a fashion staple in the 20th century and continue to be worn today.

1927 Lindbergh completes first solo transatlantic flight

Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight, flying from New York to Paris aboard the Spirit of St. Louis. The 33-hour flight made Lindbergh a global celebrity and marked a major milestone in the development of aviation.

1927 Treaty of Jeddah recognizes independence of Saudi Arabia

The Treaty of Jeddah was signed between the United Kingdom and Ibn Saud, recognizing the independence of the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, which would later become Saudi Arabia. The treaty ended a long period of conflict and instability in the region and marked the beginning of a new era for the Arabian Peninsula.

1940 Auschwitz concentration camp receives its first prisoners

The Auschwitz concentration camp, the largest and deadliest of the Nazi concentration camps during World War II, received its first prisoners. Over 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were killed at Auschwitz between 1940 and 1945, making it a symbol of the Holocaust and one of the darkest chapters in human history.

1983 Church Street Bombing kills 19 in South Africa

The Church Street Bombing, carried out by the military wing of the African National Congress (ANC), killed 19 people and injured over 200 in Pretoria, South Africa. The attack was part of the ANC's struggle against apartheid, a system of racial segregation and oppression that lasted from 1948 to 1994.