17 June

June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 197 days remain until the end of the year.

We have some interesting facts & historic events all about June 17^th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.

Keep reading for more interesting facts about June 17^th in history!

Global Celebrations

World Tessellation Day
National Eat Your Vegetable Day
National Apple Strudel Day
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
National Flip Flop Day

Historic Events

What Happened On This Day – June 17

1972: The arrest of five White House operatives sets off the Watergate scandal

The men were caught attempting to wiretap the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex. The scandal ultimately led to U.S. President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

1944: Iceland becomes a republic

The Nordic island country had previously been included in the Norwegian and Danish monarchies. The republic’s first President was Sveinn Björnsson.

1940: The three Baltic states fall under Soviet occupation

While the world’s attention was focused on the recent German invasion of Paris, the Soviet Union annexed Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

1928: Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly across the Atlantic

Wilmer Stultz piloted the Fokker F.VII aircraft, Earhart kept the flight log. They arrived at Burry Port in Wales, the United Kingdom, 20 hours and 40 minutes later.

1885: The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York

Hundreds of thousands of spectators welcomed the emblematic statue, which was a gift to the United States from the people of France and has become one of the country’s most recognized symbols.

1989: A West German border guard greets East German motorists into the country, in 1989.