On This Day for 5/1 - Amtrak begins service, Citizen Kane premieres, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day May 1 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Biography of the Day [Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington, oil on canvas by Sir Thomas Lawrence.]( [Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington]( Born in Dublin this day in 1769 was British army commander [Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington]( who with his allies defeated [Napoleon]( at the [Battle of Waterloo]( (1815), conquering the world's conqueror. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [Military parade in Red Square, Moscow, May 1985.]( 1889: May Day founded On this day in 1889, May Day—traditionally a [celebration of the return of spring]( marked by [dancing around a Maypole]( first observed as a [labour holiday]( designated as such by the [International Socialist Congress](. Explore more key moments in history for just $39.95 [Learn more >>]( [Sign up now]( for our monthly newsletter, showcasing articles hand-picked by our editors! More Events On This Day 2004: The [European Union]( was enlarged to include the new member states of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. 1971: [Amtrak train]( federally supported corporation that operates nearly all intercity passenger trains in the United States—began service. 1961: The first major airplane [hijacking]( within the United States occurred when a man forced a commercial airliner en route from [Miami]( to [Key West]( Florida, to detour to [Cuba](. 1941: [Citizen Kane]( Welles]( [Citizen Kane]( considered by many critics as the greatest film ever made, premiered in New York City. 1909: [Kate Smith]( singer [Kate Smith]( known as the "first lady of radio," was born. 1898: [Battleships clashing in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, 1898.]( [Battle of Manila Bay]( ended in the defeat of the Spanish Pacific fleet by the [U.S. Navy]( resulting in the fall of the [Philippines]( and contributing to the final U.S. victory in the [Spanish-American War](. 1851: [The transept of the Crystal Palace, designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, at the Great Exhibition of 1851.]( Great Exhibition of 1851 opened in London in the [Crystal Palace]( which was designed by [Sir Joseph Paxton](. A Great Gift Idea from The Britannica Store [1768 Encyclopaedia Britannica Replica Set]( The handsome three-volume reproduction is so beautifully executed that it's almost indistinguishable from the 1768 original, right down to the natural age spots and watermarks on the pages. A must-have for collectors of history or vintage books, the set lends an unmistakable air of prestige to any home or office. [Get yours today]( Our Best-Selling Software! the world's most trusted and authoritative information for [only $39.95](. Britannica on Facebook a fan]( on Facebook and get updated Britannica content in your news feed! Britannica on Twitter @Britannica]( and enjoy daily tweets relating to the news stories of the day! [Home]( [Advocacy for Animals]( [Newsletters]( [Feedback]( [Help]( Please note that if you do not open or click on any On This Day email during any consecutive 14-day period, we reserve the right to remove your address from the active mailing list. This policy does not apply to RSS feeds. Share: Was this message forwarded to you? [Click here]( and we'll start sending you the On This Day newsletters. This message has been sent to {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe [click here](. To unsubscribe by postal mail, send your request to: Encyclopaedia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle St. - Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60654 US ATTN: Customer Service - On This Day © 2018 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( — [Help](