1. On May 16, 1771, the Maryland Gazette published a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the editor, in which Jefferson argued against the establishment of an Anglican state church in Virginia, citing the importance of religious freedom.

2. May 16, 1861 saw the arrival of Union troops in Baltimore, Maryland, in the early days of the American Civil War. The city had been tense with secessionist activity, and the arrival of the troops sparked violent clashes that would come to be known as the Baltimore Riot.

3. On May 16, 1962, the United States formally recognized the government of West Germany, establishing full diplomatic relations between the two countries. This was a significant moment in the post-World War II era, as it signaled a move toward greater cooperation between former enemies.

4. In 1977, the first ever Maryland Renaissance Festival opened on May 16 in Crownsville, Maryland. The festival has since become an annual tradition, attracting thousands of visitors each year to enjoy music, food, jousting, and other attractions.

5. On May 16, 2000, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory's Space Probe Navigational Facility was held in Laurel, Maryland. The facility would play a key role in the navigation and control of various NASA missions, including the New Horizons mission to Pluto.