◆ On this day

May 3

3 sourced moments from May 3 in history: Halley predicted the 1715 eclipse to within four minutes; Poland adopts Europe's first modern written national constitution (1791); and Madrid's rebels are executed by Napoleon's troops, immortalized by Goya (1808).

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3 things happened on May 3

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1808 History · War & Conflict

Madrid's rebels are executed by Napoleon's troops, immortalized by Goya

In the dawn hours, French firing squads shot the Madrid insurgents of the day before — a massacre Goya turned into one of art's great paintings.

1791 Society & Economy · Politics & Law

Poland adopts Europe's first modern written national constitution

In a single dramatic session, the Great Sejm passed a charter that made Poland-Lithuania Europe's first to enshrine modern constitutional rule.

1715 Space · Solar System

Halley predicted the 1715 eclipse to within four minutes

Edmond Halley mapped the 1715 eclipse in advance, asked the public to time it, then redrew his map from their reports.