Vintage News · Odd history for April 17

What Happened On April 17

Q: What happened on April 17?

1876: Catalpa rescue: The rescue of six Fenian prisoners from Fremantle Prison in Western Australia. 1783: The Mechanical Turk (pictured), a fraudulent chess-playing "machine" by Wolfgang von Kempelen that was secretly controlled by a hidden human, began a tour of Europe. 1895: The Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan is signed. This marks the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, and the defeated Qing Empire is forced to renounce its claims on Korea and to concede the southern portion of the Fengtian province, Taiwan and the Penghu to Japan. 2014: NASA announced the discovery of Kepler-186f, the first exoplanet with a radius similar to Earth's discovered in the habitable zone of another star. 1951: The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom. 1942: World War II: Captured French general Henri Giraud escaped from German captivity in the Königstein Castle. 1907: Minas Geraes (pictured), the first of three Brazilian dreadnought battleships, was laid down, sparking a vastly expensive South American naval arms race with Argentina and Chile. 2014: NASA's Kepler space telescope confirms the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star. 2013: The ceremonial funeral of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher takes place at St Paul's Cathedral. 2003: Anneli Jäätteenmäki takes office as the first female prime minister of Finland.

45 events and 227 births, refreshed daily. OddlyTrue's own archive for 17 April →

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10 odd things that happened on April 17

1876 Oddly true
Catalpa rescue: The rescue of six Fenian prisoners from Fremantle Prison in Western Australia.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1783 Oddly true
The Mechanical Turk (pictured), a fraudulent chess-playing "machine" by Wolfgang von Kempelen that was secretly controlled by a hidden human, began a tour of Europe.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1895 First ever
The Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan is signed. This marks the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, and the defeated Qing Empire is forced to renounce its claims on Korea and to concede the southern portion of the Fengtian province, Taiwan and the Penghu to Japan.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2014 First ever
NASA announced the discovery of Kepler-186f, the first exoplanet with a radius similar to Earth's discovered in the habitable zone of another star.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1951 First ever
The Peak District was designated the first national park in the United Kingdom.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1942 Oddly true
World War II: Captured French general Henri Giraud escaped from German captivity in the Königstein Castle.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1907 First ever
Minas Geraes (pictured), the first of three Brazilian dreadnought battleships, was laid down, sparking a vastly expensive South American naval arms race with Argentina and Chile.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2014 First ever
NASA's Kepler space telescope confirms the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2013 Oddly true
The ceremonial funeral of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher takes place at St Paul's Cathedral.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2003 First ever
Anneli Jäätteenmäki takes office as the first female prime minister of Finland.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Observed today

2021The funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, takes place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Wikipedia →
2014NASA's Kepler space telescope confirms the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star. Wikipedia →
2013An explosion at a fertilizer plant in the city of West, Texas, kills 15 people and injures 160 others. Wikipedia →
2013The ceremonial funeral of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher takes place at St Paul's Cathedral. Wikipedia →
2006A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates an explosive device in a Tel Aviv restaurant, killing 11 people and injuring 70. Wikipedia →
2003Anneli Jäätteenmäki takes office as the first female prime minister of Finland. Wikipedia →
1998Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-90, the final Spacelab mission. Wikipedia →
1992The Katina P is deliberately run aground off Maputo, Mozambique, and 60,000 tons of crude oil spill into the ocean. Wikipedia →
1986An alleged state of war lasting 335 years between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly is declared over. Wikipedia →
1982Constitution Act, 1982 Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by Proclamation of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. Wikipedia →
1978Mir Akbar Khyber is assassinated, provoking the Saur Revolution in Afghanistan. Wikipedia →
1975The Cambodian Civil War ends and the Cambodian Genocide begins. The Khmer Rouge captures the capital Phnom Penh and Cambodian government forces surrender. Wikipedia →
1971The Provisional Government of Bangladesh is formed. Wikipedia →
1970Apollo program: The damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft returns to Earth safely. Wikipedia →
1969Sirhan Sirhan is convicted of assassinating Robert F. Kennedy. Wikipedia →
1969Communist Party of Czechoslovakia chairman Alexander Dubček is deposed. Wikipedia →
1964Jerrie Mock completes the first around-the-world airplane flight by a woman. Her solo flight in the Spirit of Columbus, which took 29+1⁄2 days, took off and landed at the Port Columbus International Airport in Ohio. Wikipedia →
1961Bay of Pigs Invasion: A group of Cuban exiles financed and trained by the CIA lands at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba with the aim of ousting Fidel Castro. Wikipedia →
1951The Peak District becomes the United Kingdom's first National Park. Wikipedia →
1946The last French troops are withdrawn from Syria. Wikipedia →
1945World War II: Montese, Italy, is liberated from Nazi forces. Wikipedia →
1945Historian Tran Trong Kim is appointed the Prime Minister of the Empire of Vietnam. Wikipedia →
1944Forces of the Communist-controlled Greek People's Liberation Army attack the smaller National and Social Liberation resistance group, which surrenders. Its leader Dimitrios Psarros is murdered. Wikipedia →
1942World War II: French prisoner of war General Henri Giraud escapes from his castle prison in Königstein Fortress. Wikipedia →
1941World War II: The Axis powers invasion of Yugoslavia is completed when it signs an armistice with Germany and Italy. Wikipedia →
1931After negotiations between Catalan and Spanish provisional governments, the Catalan Republic proclaimed in April 14 becomes the Generalitat de Catalunya, the autonomous government of Catalonia within the Spanish Republic. Wikipedia →
1925The Communist Party of Korea (CPK) was founded in Japanese-ruled Korea (Chōsen) in Keijō (now Seoul) by Kim Yong-bom and Pak Hon-yong. Wikipedia →
1912Russian troops open fire on striking goldfield workers in northeast Siberia, killing at least 150. Wikipedia →
1907The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than on any other day. Wikipedia →
1905The Supreme Court of the United States decides Lochner v. New York, which holds that the "right to free contract" is implicit in the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Wikipedia →
1895The Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan is signed. This marks the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, and the defeated Qing Empire is forced to renounce its claims on Korea and to concede the southern portion of the Fengtian province, Taiwan and the Penghu to Japan. Wikipedia →
1876Catalpa rescue: The rescue of six Fenian prisoners from Fremantle Prison in Western Australia. Wikipedia →
1869Morelos is admitted as the 27th state of Mexico. Wikipedia →
1864American Civil War: The Battle of Plymouth begins: Confederate forces attack Plymouth, North Carolina. Wikipedia →
1863American Civil War: Grierson's Raid begins: Troops under Union Army Colonel Benjamin Grierson attack central Mississippi. Wikipedia →
1861The state of Virginia's secession convention votes to secede from the United States; Virginia later becomes the eighth state to join the Confederate States of America. Wikipedia →
1797Sir Ralph Abercromby attacks San Juan, Puerto Rico, in what would be one of the largest invasions of the Spanish territories in the Americas. Wikipedia →
1797Citizens of Verona begin an unsuccessful eight-day rebellion against the French occupying forces. Wikipedia →
1783American Revolutionary War: Colbert's Raid: A Spanish garrison under Captain Jacobo du Breuil defeat British irregulars at Arkansas Post. Wikipedia →
1524Giovanni da Verrazzano reaches New York harbor. Wikipedia →
1521Trial of Martin Luther over his teachings begins during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. Initially intimidated, he asks for time to reflect before answering and is given a stay of one day. Wikipedia →
1492Spain and Christopher Columbus sign the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices. Wikipedia →
1362Kaunas Castle falls to the Teutonic Order after a month-long siege. Wikipedia →
1349The rule of the Bavand dynasty in Mazandaran is brought to an end by the murder of Hasan II. Wikipedia →
1080Harald III of Denmark dies and is succeeded by Canute IV, who would later be the first Dane to be canonized. Wikipedia →

From The Guardian Archives — On This Day

2023The Guardian
Police charge white man for shooting Black teen boy who had wrong address
Ralph Yarl, 16, is in stable condition as outrage spread over the police’s initial decision to release the homeowner…
Read on The Guardian →
2018The Guardian
San Francisco's scooter war: city hits back as 'unlawful' schemes flood streets
City officials send cease-and-desist letters to electric scooter startups, as local residents complain the unregulate…
Read on The Guardian →
1991The New York Times
Review/Music
The controversy surrounding the world premiere of Michael Tippett's "Byzantium" by Georg Solti and the Chicago Sympho…
Read on NYTimes.com →

Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform · Historic front pages via the NYT Archive API

Facts from Wikipedia On This Day API (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia. Thumbnails CC BY-SA. Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform and the NYT Archive API. Historic pages via Library of Congress Chronicling America. Curated by OddlyTrue.