November 17 is the 321st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 44 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about November 17th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about November 17th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National Homemade Bread Day
- National Take A Hike Day
- World Prematurity Day
- National UnFriend Day
- International Students Day
- National Epilepsy Day
- Guinness World Record Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – November 17
2003: Arnold Schwarzenegger sworn in as Californian Governor
The bodybuilder and actor best known for his role as a cyborg in the science fiction movie, The Terminator, replaced then Governor Gray Davis. Schwarzenegger was elected for another term as governor in 2007.
1989: Velvet Revolution begins
A week after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a demonstration of by students commemorating International Students Day in Prague was violently shut down by riot police. The incident led to mass strikes and nonviolent around the country that ended communist rule in erstwhile Czechoslovakia and paved the way for the first democratic elections in the country in 41 years.
1973: Athens Polytechnic Uprising Ends
The popular protests against the military junta under Georgios Papadopoulos began on November 14 when students at the polytechnic went on a strike. On the morning of November 17, the military crashed into the campus grounds using a tank and put an end of the protests. While no one was thought to have been killed on the polytechnic campus, many people were killed in clashes around the city. Today, all schools and universities are closed on November 17 to commemorate the uprising.
1869: Construction on Suez Canal finished
The 120 miles (193 kms) long artificial waterway connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea took 10 years to be built and was opened to ships. The canal connected Europe to Asia without ships having to go all the way around Africa.
1858: The start of Modified Julian Date
Mostly used by astronomers and astrophysicists, the Modified Julian Date (MJD) is a dating method that is defined by subtracting 2,400,000.5 days from the current Julian date (JD), which is calculated by counting the number of days past since Noon January 1, 4713 B.C.E. The MJD gives the number of days past Midnight November 17, 1858. MJD was first used in 1957 by scientists at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory to track satellites.
1970: On this day in 1970: the computer peripheral device mouse was patented
1863: Gettysburg, Pa. John L. Burns, the “old hero of Gettysburg,” with gun and crutches. Sometime between July 4 and November 19 1863.
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, November 17
1978: Rachel McAdams, Canadian actress
1964: Susan Rice, American diplomat, 27th United States Ambassador to the United Nations
1942: Martin Scorsese, American director, producer, screenwriter, actor
1920: Gemini Ganesan, Indian film actor
1901: Walter Hallstein, German politician, diplomat, 1st President of the European Commission
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, November 17
2012: Bal Thackeray, Indian politician
1917: Auguste Rodin, French sculptor, created The Thinker
1796: Catherine the Great, Russian wife of Peter III of Russia
1768: Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1558 Mary I of England
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