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Today in History, May 25th

On May 25, 1787, the Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia. Plus JFK's call for a moon landing and Babe Ruth's 714th home run.

By Today in History Updated November 10, 2026 3 min read Sources checked

Published May 25, 2026 · Last updated November 10, 2026

May 25 is best known for 1787, when delegates gathered in Philadelphia and opened the Constitutional Convention that produced the U.S. Constitution. The date also saw President John F. Kennedy ask Congress to put an American on the moon in 1961 and Babe Ruth hit his 714th and final home run in 1935.

The big story: The Constitutional Convention opens (1787)

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress could declare war and handle foreign affairs, but it had no way to make the states hand over money or troops. By 1786 the Union looked ready to come apart. After a small meeting of five states at Annapolis, Maryland, every state was invited to send delegates to Philadelphia to fix the problem. On May 25, 1787, delegates met at the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall. Every state but Rhode Island took part, and the group included James Madison and Benjamin Franklin. They elected George Washington of Virginia to preside. Instead of patching the Articles, they wrote a new plan of government. The Connecticut Compromise settled the fight between big and small states with a two-house Congress: seats in the House by population, equal representation for each state in the Senate. On September 17, 38 of the 41 delegates still present signed the finished Constitution, which took effect after nine states ratified it.

More events on May 25

Year	What happened
1660	Charles II returned to England from exile to reclaim the throne, ending 11 years of military rule (Old Style).
1810	The town council of Buenos Aires established an autonomous government.
1895	Oscar Wilde was convicted of gross indecency and sent to prison. Homosexuality was a crime in Britain at the time.
1935	Babe Ruth hit the 714th and last home run of his career at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, a record that stood for almost 40 years.
1935	Jesse Owens set three world records and tied another at a single track meet.
1961	President John F. Kennedy asked Congress to fund a goal of landing an American on the moon by the end of the decade.
1977	George Lucas’s Star Wars opened in U.S. theaters, launching one of the most successful film franchises ever.
1977	China lifted its decade-old ban on the works of Shakespeare, a sign the Cultural Revolution was over.
1979	American Airlines Flight 191 lost an engine on takeoff from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and crashed, killing everyone aboard.
2011	The last episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired.
2020	George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer during an arrest, setting off protests across the U.S. and a national reckoning over race and policing.

Born on May 25

1878: Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, American tap dancer who partnered with Shirley Temple on film, born in Richmond, Virginia.
1889: Igor Sikorsky, aircraft designer and helicopter pioneer, born in Kiev.
1939: Ian McKellen, English actor known for Gandalf and Magneto, born in Burnley, England.