In History, Today on May 15

A mass shooting occurred at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California during a luncheon, resulting in one death and several injuries.

Tesla resumes production at its Fremont factory after a legal confrontation with Alameda County over COVID-19 restrictions.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the United States, which criminalized performing abortions at any stage of pregnancy.

The inauguration of the French President Emmanuel Macron's 'Make Our Planet Great Again' initiative in response to the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning the Syrian government for its role in the Syrian Civil War.

Jessica Watson, a 16-year-old Australian sailor, became the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around the world.

California Supreme Court overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage, making California the second state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage.

Armed forces of the United States launched Operation Mountain Storm in Afghanistan, aimed at eliminating Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in the region.

Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite Index (JCI) reached its lowest point at 392.831 in May 2003 as a result of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was founded by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in Shanghai, China. The organization aims to promote political, economic, and military cooperation among its member states.

Édith Cresson became the first female Prime Minister of France.

The Soviet Union began withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, marking the start of the end of the Soviet-Afghan War.

Alabama Governor George Wallace was shot and paralyzed by Arthur Bremer while campaigning for the presidency in Laurel, Maryland.

The last Project Mercury spaceflight, Mercury-Atlas 9, was launched, with astronaut Gordon Cooper aboard.

Britain tested its first hydrogen bomb on Malden Island in the Pacific Ocean, as part of Operation Grapple.

The Vienna Treaty was signed, which provided for the formation of an independent and neutral Austria. This treaty led to the withdrawal of all occupation forces from Austria.

The Arab-Israeli War began following the declaration of the state of Israel, as neighboring Arab states invaded the newly established country.

The Gloster E.28/39, the first British jet engine aircraft, made its maiden flight.

The first McDonald's restaurant opened in San Bernardino, California, founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald.

The first flight of an aircraft using the Douglas DC-3 took place, revolutionizing air transport across the globe.

Ellen Church became the first female flight attendant, working for Boeing Air Transport.

The first appearance of Mickey Mouse in the cartoon 'Plane Crazy' was shown as a test screening to a theater audience.

The United States Supreme Court declared Standard Oil to be an unreasonable monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act and ordered its dissolution.

Las Vegas was officially founded as a city when 110 acres of land were auctioned off, marking the beginning of its development.

Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical 'Rerum Novarum', addressing the condition of the working classes and marking the beginning of modern Catholic social teaching.

Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association in New York City, advocating for women's voting rights in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture was established by an act of Congress, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln.

The present Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, opened after being rebuilt following a fire.

The Alpha Delta Pi sorority was founded at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia, as the Adelphean Society, becoming the first secret society for women.

The first German National Assembly met in Frankfurt to begin drafting a constitution for a unified Germany.

Mary Kies became the first woman to be granted a US patent. She received Patent No. 10 for her technique of weaving straw with silk and thread, which was a notable innovation in the hat-making industry.

King George III survived an assassination attempt by James Hadfield, who fired a pistol at the king during a theatre performance.

The Seven Years' War began when England declared war on France, marking the start of a global conflict involving most of the great powers.

James Puckle, a London lawyer, patented the world's first machine gun, known as the Puckle Gun.

The Treaty of Münster was signed, ending the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, part of the Peace of Westphalia.

Johannes Kepler confirmed his previously formulated third law of planetary motion, which describes the relationship between the distance of planets from the Sun and their orbital periods.

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII of England, was tried and convicted of treason, adultery, and incest.

The Battle of Frankenhausen takes place, a significant battle of the German Peasants' War, resulting in a decisive victory for the forces of the Swabian League over the peasant army.

The Treaty of Brétigny is ratified as a treaty during the Hundred Years' War, marking a temporary resumption of peace between England and France.

Pope Innocent IV issued the papal bull 'Ad extirpanda', which authorized the use of torture by the Inquisition to extract confessions from heretics.

Wulfstan, Archbishop of York, dies. Wulfstan was a major religious and political figure in early 11th-century England known for his sermons and writing which promoted social and ecclesiastical reforms.

The Third Council of Toledo begins, marking a significant religious and political turning point in Visigothic Spain as King Reccared I converts from Arianism to Catholicism.

Emperor Valentinian II is found dead in his residence in Vienne, Gaul, under suspicious circumstances. His death leads to political instability in the Western Roman Empire.