December 17

Historic Events

2014

The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations after severing them in 1961. ›

2010

Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire. This act became the catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring. ›

2009

MV Danny F II sinks off the coast of Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of 44 people and over 28,000 animals. ›

2005

Anti-World Trade Organization protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. ›

2005

Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicates the throne as King of Bhutan. ›

2003

The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, is found guilty of perverting the course of justice. ›

2003

SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first powered and first supersonic flight. ›

2003

Sex work rights activists establish December 17 (or "D17") as International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers to memorialize victims of a serial killer who targeted prostitutes, and highlight State violence against sex workers by police and others. ›

2002

Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years. ›

1997

Peruvian internal conflict: Fourteen members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement provoke a hostage crisis by taking over the Japanese embassy in Lima. ›

1997

Aerosvit Flight 241: A Yakovlev Yak-42 crashes into the Pierian Mountains near Thessaloniki Airport in Thessaloniki, Greece, killing all 70 people on board. ›

1989

Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timișoara, Romania, with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire. ›

1989

Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President in almost 30 years. ›

1989

The Simpsons premieres on television with the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". ›

1983

Provisional IRA members detonate a car bomb at Harrods Department Store in London. Three police officers and three civilians are killed. ›

1981

American Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigades in Verona, Italy. ›

1973

Thirty passengers are killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport. ›

1970

Polish protests: In Gdynia, soldiers fire at workers emerging from trains, killing dozens. ›

1969

Project Blue Book: The United States Air Force closes its study of UFOs. ›

1967

Harold Holt, Prime Minister of Australia, disappears while swimming near Portsea, Victoria, and is presumed drowned. ›

1961

Niterói circus fire: Fire breaks out during a performance by the Gran Circus Norte-Americano in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, killing more than 500. ›

1960

Troops loyal to Emperor Haile Selassie in Ethiopia crush the coup that began December 13, returning power to their leader upon his return from Brazil. Haile Selassie absolves his son of any guilt. ›

1960

Munich C-131 crash: Twenty passengers and crew on board as well as 32 people on the ground are killed. ›

1957

The United States successfully launches the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile at Cape Canaveral, Florida. ›

1951

The American Civil Rights Congress delivers "We Charge Genocide" to the United Nations. ›

1950

The F-86 Sabre's first mission over Korea. ›

1948

The Finnish Security Police is established to remove communist leadership from its predecessor, the State Police. ›

1947

First flight of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic bomber. ›

1945

Kurdistan flag day, the flag of Kurdistan is raised for the first time in Mahabad in eastern Kurdistan. ›

1944

World War II: Battle of the Bulge: Malmedy massacre: American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs are shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Joachim Peiper. ›

1943

All Chinese are again permitted to become citizens of the United States upon the repeal of the Act of 1882 and the introduction of the Magnuson Act. ›

1938

Otto Hahn discovers the nuclear fission of the heavy element uranium, the scientific and technological basis of nuclear energy. ›

1935

Douglas DC-3: The twin-engine airliner makes its maiden flight from Santa Monica. ›

1933

The first NFL Championship Game is played at Wrigley Field in Chicago between the New York Giants and Chicago Bears. The Bears win 23–21. ›

1928

Indian revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru assassinate British police officer James Saunders in Lahore, Punjab, to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai at the hands of the police. The three were executed in 1931. ›

1927

Indian revolutionary Rajendra Lahiri is hanged in Gonda jail, Uttar Pradesh, India, two days before the scheduled date. ›

1926

Antanas Smetona assumes power in Lithuania as the 1926 coup d'état is successful. ›

1918

Darwin Rebellion: Up to 1,000 demonstrators march on Government House in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. ›

1907

Ugyen Wangchuck is crowned first King of Bhutan. ›

1903

The Wright brothers make the first controlled powered, heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. ›

1896

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Schenley Park Casino, which was the first multi-purpose arena with the technology to create an artificial ice surface in North America, is destroyed in a fire. ›

1892

First issue of Vogue is published. ›

1865

First performance of the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert. ›

1862

American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant issues General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from parts of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. ›

1837

A fire in the Winter Palace of Saint Petersburg kills 30 guards. ›

1835

The second Great Fire of New York destroys 53,000 square metres (13 acres) of New York City's Financial District. ›

1819

Simón Bolívar declares the independence of Gran Colombia in Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar in Venezuela). ›

1812

War of 1812: U.S. forces attack a Lenape village in the Battle of the Mississinewa. ›

1807

Napoleonic Wars: France issues the Milan Decree, which confirms the Continental System. ›

1790

The Aztec calendar stone is discovered at El Zócalo, Mexico City. ›

1777

American Revolution: France formally recognizes the United States. ›

1718

War of the Quadruple Alliance: Great Britain declares war on Spain. ›

1665

The first account of a blood transfusion is published, in the form of a letter from physician Richard Lower to chemist Robert Boyle, in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society ›

1586

Go-Yōzei becomes Emperor of Japan. ›

1583

Cologne War: Forces under Ernest of Bavaria defeat troops under Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg at the Siege of Godesberg. ›

1538

Pope Paul III excommunicates Henry VIII of England. ›

1398

Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies in Delhi are defeated by Timur. ›

1354

Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut and Holy Roman Empress and her son William I, Duke of Bavaria, sign a peace treaty ending the Hook and Cod wars. ›

1297

King Kyawswa of Pagan is overthrown by the three Myinsaing brothers, marking the de facto end of the Pagan Kingdom. ›

942

Assassination of William Longsword, Count of Normandy. ›

920

Romanos I Lekapenos is crowned co-emperor of the underage Constantine VII. ›

546

Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoths under king Totila plunder the city, by bribing the Eastern Roman garrison. ›

497 BC

The first Saturnalia festival is celebrated in ancient Rome. ›