In History, Today on May 7

Joan of Arc led the French army in the successful lifting of the Siege of Orléans during the Hundred Years' War, marking a turning point in favor of the French against the English.

King Louis XIV of France inaugurated the Palace of Versailles, which would later become the royal residence and a symbol of absolute monarchy.

The city of New Orleans is founded by the French Mississippi Company, named after Philippe II, Duke of Orléans.

Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony premiered in Vienna, Austria. This symphony is notable for its final movement, which includes the choral setting of Friedrich Schiller's poem 'Ode to Joy'.

The British ocean liner RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland, contributing to the United States' eventual entry into World War I.

Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Reims, France, effectively ending World War II in Europe. This event is commemorated as Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day).

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu ended with a decisive victory for the Viet Minh over French forces, leading to the end of French colonial rule in Indochina and the Geneva Conference.

The 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which deals with congressional pay raises, was ratified after being proposed over 200 years earlier.

Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as President of Russia, marking the beginning of his first term in office.

The final episode of the television sitcom 'Friends' aired on NBC, concluding its ten-season run.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) wins the most seats in the Scottish Parliament election, marking the first time the SNP has become the largest party in the Scottish Parliament. This victory leads to Alex Salmond becoming First Minister of Scotland.

A British Airways flight from Amsterdam to London was disrupted by a volcanic ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland, causing widespread air travel chaos across Europe.

Vladimir Putin was inaugurated for a third term as President of Russia, amid protests and allegations of electoral fraud.

The United Kingdom held a general election, resulting in a surprise majority win for the Conservative Party led by David Cameron.

Emmanuel Macron won the French presidential election, defeating Marine Le Pen and becoming the youngest President in French history.

A cyberattack by the group DarkSide forced the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline, the largest fuel pipeline in the United States, leading to fuel shortages and price spikes.