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May 1

1707

The Act of Union joined England and Scotland to form Great Britain.

1931

The Empire State Building opened in New York City. At 102 stories, it would be the world's tallest building for the next 41 years. Click to see the current tallest.

1941

Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, considered by many the greatest film ever made, premiered in New York.

1948

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) was established with Kim Il Sung as president.

1960

The Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 reconnaissance plane over Soviet territory.

1967

Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu. (They divorced in 1973.)

1991

44-year-old Texas fireballer Nolan Ryan hurled his seventh and final no-hitter in a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. That same day, Oakland's Rickey Henderson broke Lou Brock’s stolen base record.

2003

President Bush made a speech aboard an aircraft carrier proclaiming “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.”

2009

For the first time in 341 years, a woman is appointed as poet laureate of the United Kingdom. Carol Ann Duffy, 53, will take over the post from current poet laureate Andrew Motion.