Kublai Khan becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire.

Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, was a pivotal figure in world history who ruled as the fifth Khagan of the Mongol Empire and the founder of the Yuan dynasty in China. Ascending to power in 1260, Kublai not only expanded the empire’s reach but also shifted its focus from nomadic conquest to administrative consolidation and cultural integration. Unlike his more war-driven predecessors, Kublai embraced aspects of Chinese governance, Confucianism, and Buddhism, effectively blending Mongol and Chinese traditions. His reign marked the first time a non-Han ruler successfully governed all of China, culminating in the establishment of the Yuan dynasty in 1271. He moved the capital to what is now Beijing and fostered international trade, notably supporting the Silk Road and welcoming foreign travelers like Marco Polo. Kublai’s legacy is complex—he’s remembered as both a powerful unifier and as a ruler whose Mongol identity was softened by his deep immersion in Chinese culture.

May Fourth Movement: Student demonstrations take place in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, protesting the Treaty of Versailles, which transferred Chinese territory to Japan.

The May Fourth Movement was a pivotal cultural and political movement in early 20th-century China that began on May 4, 1919, sparked by student protests in Beijing against the Chinese government’s weak response to the Treaty of Versailles—specifically, the decision to allow Japan to retain territories in Shandong that had been surrendered by Germany. Beyond the immediate political outrage, the movement quickly evolved into a broader intellectual awakening that rejected traditional Confucian values in favor of science, democracy, and modernity. It mobilized a wide spectrum of society—students, workers, intellectuals—and laid the ideological groundwork for future revolutionary movements, including the rise of Chinese communism. The May Fourth Movement also marked a shift in Chinese literature and education, as vernacular Chinese (???) replaced classical Chinese in efforts to make learning more accessible and reflective of contemporary life.

Treaty of Loudun ends a French civil war.

The Treaty of Loudun, signed in 1616, marked the end of a brief but intense French civil conflict centered around political power struggles during the early reign of Louis XIII. This conflict wasn’t a full-scale religious war like earlier ones between Catholics and Huguenots, but rather a factional dispute among the French nobility. It primarily involved the Queen Mother, Marie de’ Medici, and her favorites—most notably Concino Concini—clashing with the young king’s faction, which was eager to assert independence from her influence. The treaty was negotiated to prevent further escalation, restore relative stability, and bring powerful nobles back into alignment with the crown. It granted concessions and appointments to rebellious nobles, including the influential Prince of Condé, essentially buying peace through compromise. While the Treaty of Loudun temporarily calmed tensions, it was more of a political band-aid than a lasting solution, as deeper power struggles within the French court continued to simmer.

The first game of the Negro National League baseball is played in Indianapolis.

The Negro National League (NNL) was a groundbreaking professional baseball league founded in 1920 by Andrew “Rube” Foster, a former pitcher and influential executive. Created during an era of racial segregation when Black players were barred from Major League Baseball, the NNL provided a platform for African American athletes to showcase their talents at a high level. The league featured legendary teams like the Kansas City Monarchs, Chicago American Giants, and Homestead Grays, and it helped launch the careers of iconic players such as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Cool Papa Bell. Though the NNL faced financial and organizational challenges, especially during the Great Depression, it left a lasting legacy by elevating Black baseball and laying the groundwork for the eventual integration of the sport. The league disbanded in 1931, but its impact lived on, influencing later leagues and shaping the future of American baseball.

The Jaffa Riots, which erupted in April 1921, were a significant outbreak of intercommunal violence in Mandatory Palestine, primarily between Arab and Jewish populations. Sparked by growing tensions over Jewish immigration, land purchases, and political aspirations amidst a backdrop of British colonial rule, the violence began when a peaceful May Day workers’ parade in Jaffa escalated into clashes. The situation quickly deteriorated, with Arab mobs attacking Jewish neighborhoods, resulting in the deaths of nearly 50 Jews and around a dozen Arabs, as well as hundreds of injuries on both sides. The British authorities responded with military force to restore order, but the riots marked a turning point in Arab-Jewish relations, intensifying mutual distrust and solidifying divisions. These events underscored the fragile nature of British governance and foreshadowed the escalating conflict that would define the region for decades.