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May 22

1455

The first battle in the 30-year War of Roses took place at St. Albans.

1761

The first life insurance policy in the United States was issued in Philadelphia.

1849

Abraham Lincoln received patent number 6469 for his floating dry dock.

1927

An earthquake near Xining, China, measuring 8.3 claimed approximately 200,000 victims.

1947

Harry S. Truman's Doctrine brought aid to Greece and Turkey to combat the spread of Communism.

1972

Ceylon became Sri Lanka.

1972

Richard Nixon arrived in Moscow, becoming the first U.S. president to visit the Soviet Union.

1990

North Yemen and South Yemen merged to form the Republic of Yemen.

1992

Johnny Carson hosted the last episode of his Tonight Show.

2003

The UN Security Council approved a resolution lifting the economic sanctions against Iraq and supporting the U.S.-led administration in Iraq.

2011

At least 140 people are killed and hundreds more injured as a three-quarter-mile-wide tornado hits Joplin, Missouri. The tornado is among the deadliest in the nation's history, destroying nearly a third of the city and damaging about 2,000 buildings, including water treatment and sewage plants.