Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, May 13.
In 1846, the United States Congress formally declares war on Mexico, sparking the Mexican-American War. This dispute originated from the 1845 annexation of Texas and the proposed purchase of land along the Rio Grande River. The Mexican government refused the offer, yet 11th U.S. President James K. Polk sent soldiers to the disputed zone: an act that was considered a threat. The war lasted for about 2 years and ended with an American victory, which forced Mexico to secede a major portion of the modern-day American south.
In 1981, Pope John Paul II is shot in St. Peter’s Square as part of an assassination attempt. The perpetrator, Mehmet Ali Ağca, was hired to kill the Pope for the hitman group Grey Wolves. He was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. He was pardoned in full by the then-Italian president Carlo Ciampi upon the Pope’s request in 2000.
In 1985, the Philadelphia Police Department drops two bombs on a house occupied by armed MOVE members, which is a liberation organization mostly tailored for Black Americans. What was supposed to be a raid turned into chaos as the resulting fire spread out of control, destroying around 60 more houses in the surrounding area. In total, six adults and five children were killed in the attack.