May 8

Joan of Arc leads French forces to lift the Siege of Orléans, a pivotal turning point in the Hundred Years' War.

French heroine Joan of Arc, then just seventeen years old and claiming to act on divine guidance, led a relief force that broke the nine-month English siege of Orléans, a pivotal turning point in the long Hundred Years' War. The victory revitalized French morale and military momentum, paving the way for the eventual coronation of the previously uncrowned Dauphin as King Charles VII.

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition becomes the first documented Europeans to reach the Mississippi River.

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition, then in its second year of a grueling, brutal journey through the American Southeast searching for gold and treasure, became the first documented Europeans to encounter the Mississippi River near present-day Walls, Mississippi. De Soto himself would die along the river's banks roughly a year later, and his body was secretly buried in its waters to conceal his death from hostile local tribes.

French chemist Antoine Lavoisier, often called the father of modern chemistry, is guillotined during the Reign of Terror.

French chemist Antoine Lavoisier, widely regarded as the father of modern chemistry for his groundbreaking work identifying oxygen's role in combustion and establishing the law of conservation of mass, was guillotined during the Reign of Terror due to his prior role collecting taxes for the monarchy. A judge presiding over his trial reportedly remarked that "the Republic has no need of scientists."

American forces under Zachary Taylor win the Battle of Palo Alto, the first major engagement of the Mexican-American War.

American forces under General Zachary Taylor defeated a larger Mexican army at the Battle of Palo Alto in disputed territory near the Rio Grande in Texas, the first major engagement of the Mexican-American War. American artillery innovations proved decisive in the fighting, and the conflict that followed ultimately resulted in the United States acquiring vast new southwestern territories stretching to the Pacific.

The first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opens in New York City, launching what became a major American dog show tradition.

The first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opened at Gilmore's Gardens in New York City, launching what became the second-oldest continuously held sporting event in the United States after only the Kentucky Derby. The prestigious annual show, now held at Madison Square Garden, grew into a major showcase celebrating purebred dog breeding, conformation, and canine excellence.

Pharmacist John Pemberton sells the first serving of Coca-Cola as a patent medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton sold the first serving of a new caramel-colored drink called Coca-Cola at Jacob's Pharmacy, marketed initially as a patent medicine promising to cure headaches and fatigue, priced at five cents a glass. The beverage would evolve over subsequent decades, under new ownership after Pemberton's death, into one of the most recognized brands and widely consumed soft drinks in the world.

Mount Pelée erupts on the Caribbean island of Martinique, destroying the city of Saint-Pierre and killing more than 30,000 people.

Mount Pelée erupted catastrophically on the Caribbean island of Martinique, sending a superheated cloud of gas, ash, and rock racing down the mountainside at hurricane speed that destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre within minutes and killed more than 30,000 people. Only a handful of survivors were found, including, according to popular legend, a prisoner protected by his thick-walled jail cell.

Germany's unconditional surrender takes effect, marking Victory in Europe Day and the end of World War II on the continent.

Germany's unconditional surrender to the Allied powers, signed the previous day in Reims and ratified in Berlin, formally took effect, ending World War II in Europe after nearly six years of devastating conflict. Massive, spontaneous celebrations erupted across Allied nations on what became commemorated annually as Victory in Europe Day, even as fighting continued against Japan in the Pacific.

The Beatles release "Let It Be," their twelfth and final studio album.

The Beatles released "Let It Be," their twelfth and final studio album, though it had actually been recorded largely before "Abbey Road" and was delayed for release amid extensive production disputes, most notably producer Phil Spector's controversial orchestral overdubs. By the time the album reached stores, the band had already effectively broken up, making it a bittersweet farewell for fans.

The World Health Organization formally certifies the global eradication of smallpox, the first disease eliminated through human effort.

The World Health Organization formally certified that smallpox, a disease that had killed hundreds of millions of people throughout human history and disfigured countless survivors, had been completely eradicated worldwide following an intensive, coordinated decades-long global vaccination campaign. It remains the first and, to date, only human infectious disease ever eliminated entirely through deliberate human effort.