This Day in History: May 18

1804: Napoleon Bonaparte is appointed Emperor of the French

In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte, a successful military leader, was appointed as the Emperor of the French by the French Senate. He is widely known for his military campaigns, which helped him to conquer much of Europe, and for his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

1848: The first German National Assembly gathers in Frankfurt

In 1848, the first freely elected parliament of Germany, known as the German National Assembly, gathered in Frankfurt. The assembly produced a constitution that provided the basis for today’s constitution of Germany, known as the Grundgesetz.

1927: 45 people die in the United States’ worst school massacre

The Bath school disaster occurred in 1927 when a disgruntled school board member set off several bombs at the Bath Consolidated School and other locations in Michigan. This tragic event claimed the lives of 45 people, making it the worst school massacre in the United States.

1980: Mount St. Helens erupts

In 1980, Mount St. Helens, a previously cone-shaped volcano, erupted and killed 57 people. The eruption replaced a large part of the volcano with a massive crater, causing its summit to be about 1300 feet (400 meters) lower than before the eruption.

2009: Sri Lankan Civil War ends

The 25-year-long conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the separatist Tamil Tigers, which claimed up to 100,000 lives, ended in 2009 with the defeat of the Tigers. This marked the end of almost 26 years of fighting between the two sides.

1974: India explodes an atomic bomb

In 1974, India became the sixth nation to explode an atomic bomb. This event marked a significant development in the country’s nuclear capabilities and had implications for global politics and security.

1291: Mamluks conquer Acre, ending Crusader control

In 1291, the Mamluks, led by Sultan al-Ashraf Khalil, conquered Acre, which was the last Crusader stronghold. This event marked the end of 100 years of Crusader control in the region and had significant historical implications for the Middle East.