Today In History, May 7

 399BC, May 7, Socrates , Greek philosopher, committed suicide.

 1998, May 7: Nigeria announces that it has freed 142 prisoners on orders of General Abacha.

2007 May 7: Former President, Umaru Yar’Adua departed on a tour of seven African countries, his first foreign trip during his regime.

2010 May 7: Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell deferred crude oil shipments from its Bonny light terminal in Niger Delta, due to a fire that hampered production.

2008 May 7: Federal Government announced suspension of import duties and other taxes on rice, and launched a raft of other measures to head-off food crisis in the country.

558,   The dome of the church of St. Sophia in Constantinople collapses. Its immediate rebuilding is ordered by Justinian.

1274         The Second Council of Lyons opens in France to regulate the election of the pope.

1429         Joan of Arc breaks the English siege of Orleans.

1525         The German peasants’ revolt is crushed by the ruling class and church.

1763         Indian chief Pontiac begins his attack on a British fort in present-day Detroit,   Michigan.

1800         Congress divides the Northwest Territory into two parts. The western part will becomes the Indiana Territory and the eastern section remains the Northwest Territory.

1824         Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony” premiers in Vienna.

1847         The American Medical Association is formed in Philadelphia.

1862         Confederate troops strike Union troops at the Battle of Eltham’s Landing in Virginia.

1864         The Battle of the Wilderness ends with heavy losses to both sides.

1877         Indian chief Sitting Bull enters Canada with a trail of Indians after the Battle of Little Bighorn.

1915         The German submarine U-20 torpedoes the passenger ship Lusitiania, sinking her in 21 minutes with 1,978 people on board.

1937         The German Condor Legion arrives in Spain to assist Fransico Franco’s forces.

1943         The last major German strongholds in North Africa–Tunis and Bizerte–fall to Allied forces.

1945         Germany signs an unconditional surrender, effectively ending World War II in Europe.

1952         In Korea, Communist POWs at Koje-do riot against their American captors.

1954         French troops surrender to the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu.

1958         Howard Johnson sets an aircraft altitude record in F-104.

1960         Leonid Brezhnev becomes president of the Soviet Union.