1. On May 19, 1499, Alonso de Ojeda and Americo Vespucio landed at the coast of present-day Venezuela, becoming the first Europeans to set foot on the continent of South America.

2. On May 19, 1607, a group of English colonists arrived on the shores of what is now Virginia, establishing the first permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown.

3. On May 19, 1780, the British under General William Phillips captured the Virginia capital of Richmond, burning down much of the city in the process.

4. On May 19, 1864, Union General Franz Sigel was defeated by Confederate forces led by General John C. Breckinridge at the Battle of New Market, Virginia.

5. On May 19, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California was officially opened to the public. Although not located in Virginia, the bridge was designed by a Virginia-born engineer named Joseph Strauss.