This Day In History May 22

## This Day in History: May 22 ### 1856: The Republican Party is Founded The Republican Party was founded in Ripon, Wisconsin, on May 22, 1856. The party was formed by a group of anti-slavery activists who were opposed to the expansion of slavery into new territories. The party's first presidential nominee was John C. Frémont, who lost the election to James Buchanan. However, the party went on to win the presidency in 1860 with Abraham Lincoln. ### 1869: The First Transcontinental Railroad is Completed The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 22, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah. The railroad connected the eastern and western United States, and it had a major impact on the development of the country. The railroad made it possible to transport goods and people more quickly and easily between the two coasts, and it helped to open up the West for settlement. ### 1940: Winston Churchill Becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 22, 1940. Churchill was appointed to the position after the resignation of Neville Chamberlain, who had been unable to form a government that could unite the country in the face of the threat of Nazi Germany. Churchill led the United Kingdom through the Second World War, and he is considered one of the greatest leaders in British history. ### 1963: Betty Friedan Publishes "The Feminine Mystique" Betty Friedan published "The Feminine Mystique" on May 22, 1963. The book was a groundbreaking work that helped to spark the feminist movement in the United States. Friedan argued that women were being oppressed by the traditional roles that society had assigned to them, and she called for women to have more opportunities in education, employment, and politics. ### Other Notable Events on May 22 * 1620: The Pilgrims sail from Plymouth, England, on the Mayflower. * 1788: The first white settlers arrive in Australia. * 1881: The Red Cross is founded. * 1927: Charles Lindbergh takes off from New York on his solo flight to Paris. * 1947: Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in Major League Baseball. * 1972: The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. * 2011: Osama bin Laden is killed in a raid by U.S. Navy SEALs.