Massachusetts Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage: A New Era
Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage in 2004, compelling courts and legislatures across the nation to confront the reality of equal protection under the law. This bold move ignited a fierce national debate that ultimately accelerated the path toward nationwide recognition two decades later.
May 17, 2004
22 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on May 17
Mircea the Elder’s Wallachian forces ambushed the Ottoman army at the Battle of Rovine, repelling Sultan Bayezid I’s superior numbers through clever use of terr…
Napoleon Bonaparte formally annexed the Papal States into his French Empire, stripping the Pope of his temporal power and secular lands. This aggressive move tr…
The axe fell on England's richest nobleman because he owned a surveyor's map. Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, kept detailed charts of his Welsh estates…
Four men walked out of the Florida wilderness in 1536. They'd started as 600 under Pánfilo de Narváez nine years earlier, sailing from Spain with armor, horses,…
George Boleyn and four associates met the executioner’s blade on Tower Hill after being convicted of treason and adultery with Queen Anne Boleyn. This brutal pu…
The marriage that broke England from Rome lasted just three years before Henry annulled it on the same grounds he'd used against Catherine: he'd sinned by marry…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.