On May 24, 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message “What hath God wrought” from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America’s first telegraph line.

Ten years ago

In rare, election-year harmony, House Republican and Democratic leaders jointly demanded the FBI return documents taken in a Capitol Hill raid as part of a bribery investigation of U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. (President George W. Bush ordered the documents placed under temporary seal; Jefferson was later found guilty of bribery and sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.) “An Inconvenient Truth,” a documentary about former Vice President Al Gore’s campaign against global warming, went into limited release. Taylor Hicks was named the new “American Idol” over runner-up Katharine McPhee.

Five years ago

Egyptian authorities ordered former President Hosni Mubarak tried on charges of corruption as well as conspiracy in the deadly shooting of protesters who’d driven him from power. (Mubarak was ultimately found guilty of corruption, and is facing retrial on charges related to the deaths of protesters.) President Barack Obama was honored with a state dinner in London as he continued his visit to Britain. Oprah Winfrey taped the final episode of her long-running talk show.

One year ago

Conservative challenger Andrzej Duda won Poland’s presidential election, ousting the incumbent, Bronislaw Komorowski, in a runoff vote. The 68th Cannes Film Festival concluded with French filmmaker Jacques Audiard’s Sri Lankan refugee drama taking the coveted top honor, the Palme d’Or. Juan Pablo Montoya sliced his way from the back to the front twice to win his second Indianapolis 500.

— By The Associated Press