1. In 1793, the first American lawn tennis court was built in Newport, Rhode Island. The sport was originally called "lawn tennis" to distinguish it from the traditional indoor game of court tennis.

2. On May 8, 1862, the Union Army under General Ambrose Burnside occupied Fredericksburg, Virginia after a lengthy siege. The town would become a significant battleground during the Civil War.

3. Rhode Island became the 13th state to legalize same-sex marriage on May 8, 2013. The legislation was signed into law by Governor Lincoln Chafee, making Rhode Island the last state in New England to pass such a law.

4. On May 8, 1932, the USS Ranger, the first true aircraft carrier designed from the keel up, was launched in Newport, Rhode Island. The Ranger served in World War II and was decommissioned in 1946.

5. In 1957, the first Newport Jazz Festival was held in Rhode Island. The festival featured performances by legendary musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dizzy Gillespie. The festival continues to be held in Newport to this day.