May 16

Today in History
• 1527 - Florence becomes a republic
• 1605 - Camillo Borghese elected to succeed Pope Leo XI becomes Paul V
• 1606 - 2,000 foreigners murdered in Russia
• 1792 - Denmark abolishes slave trade
• 1804 - Senate and Tribune declare Napolean leader of France
• 1817 - Mississippi River steamboat service begins
• 1866 - U.S. Treasury Department authorizes nickel
• 1872 - Metropolitan Gas Company lamps lit for 1st time


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Drawing Day
• International Day of Light
• Martyrdom of Imam Sadeq
• National Barbecue Day
• National Coquilles Saint Jacques Day
• National Sea Monkey Day
• Nickel Day
• Waiters Day

Birthdays
• 1558 - Andreas of Austria, Bohemia cardinal and Governor of Netherlands (1598-1600)
• 1611 - Innocent XI [Benedetto Odescalchi], Italian, 240th Pope (1676-89)
• 1710 - William Talbot, 1st Earl Talbot, English politician
• 1748 - Antonius van Alphen, apostolic vicar of De Bosch
• 1763 - Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin, chemist, discovered chromium, beryllium
• 1801 - William Henry Seward, Secretary of State, buys Alaska at 2 cents per acre
• 1824 - Levi Parsons Morton, R, 22nd U.S. Vice President, 1889 - 1893
• 1831 - David Edward Hughes, inventor, microphone, teleprinter