Vintage News · Odd history for September 17

What Happened On September 17

Q: What happened on September 17?

1849: American abolitionist Harriet Tubman makes her first attempt to escape from slavery. 1849: Harriet Tubman (pictured) escaped from slavery in the U.S. state of Maryland, and later orchestrated the rescues of other slaves via the Underground Railroad. 1793: War of the Pyrenees: Forces from the French Army of the Eastern Pyrenees defeated two divisions of the Army of Catalonia, ending the furthest Spanish encroachment in their invasion of Roussillon. 1894: Battle of the Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War. 1862: American Civil War: George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac halts the first invasion of the North by Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history. 1794: Flanders Campaign: France completes its conquest of the Austrian Netherlands at the Battle of Sprimont. 1778: The Treaty of Fort Pitt is signed. It is the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe. 1543: The first Finnish-language book, the Abckiria by Mikael Agricola, is published in Stockholm. 1176: The Battle of Myriokephalon is the last attempt by the Byzantine Empire to recover central Anatolia from the Seljuk Turks. 14: The Roman Senate decides to deify the late emperor Augustus.

73 events and 266 births, refreshed daily. OddlyTrue's own archive for 17 September →

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10 odd things that happened on September 17

1849 First ever
American abolitionist Harriet Tubman makes her first attempt to escape from slavery.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1849 Oddly true
Harriet Tubman (pictured) escaped from slavery in the U.S. state of Maryland, and later orchestrated the rescues of other slaves via the Underground Railroad.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1793 Oddly true
War of the Pyrenees: Forces from the French Army of the Eastern Pyrenees defeated two divisions of the Army of Catalonia, ending the furthest Spanish encroachment in their invasion of Roussillon.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1894 First ever
Battle of the Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1862 First ever
American Civil War: George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac halts the first invasion of the North by Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1794 Oddly true
Flanders Campaign: France completes its conquest of the Austrian Netherlands at the Battle of Sprimont.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1778 First ever
The Treaty of Fort Pitt is signed. It is the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1543 First ever
The first Finnish-language book, the Abckiria by Mikael Agricola, is published in Stockholm.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1176 Oddly true
The Battle of Myriokephalon is the last attempt by the Byzantine Empire to recover central Anatolia from the Seljuk Turks.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
14 Oddly true
The Roman Senate decides to deify the late emperor Augustus.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Observed today

2025Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement. Wikipedia →
2018A Russian reconnaissance aircraft carrying 15 people on board is brought down by a Syrian surface-to-air missile over the Mediterranean Sea. Wikipedia →
2016Two bombs explode in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and Manhattan. Thirty-one people are injured in the Manhattan bombing. Wikipedia →
2013Grand Theft Auto V earns more than half a billion dollars on its first day of release. Wikipedia →
2011Occupy Wall Street movement begins in Zuccotti Park, New York City. Wikipedia →
2006Fourpeaked Mountain in Alaska erupts, marking the first eruption for the volcano in at least 10,000 years. Wikipedia →
2006An audio tape of a private speech by Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány is leaked to the public, in which he confessed that his Hungarian Socialist Party had lied to win the 2006 election, sparking widespread protests across the country. Wikipedia →
2001The New York Stock Exchange reopens for trading after the September 11 attacks, the longest closure since the Great Depression. Wikipedia →
2001George W. Bush, president of the United States, delivers remarks at the Islamic Center of Washington praising Muslim Americans and condemning Islamophobia in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Wikipedia →
1992An Iranian Kurdish leader and his two joiners are assassinated by political militants in Berlin. Wikipedia →
1991Estonia, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia join the United Nations. Wikipedia →
1991The first version of the Linux kernel (0.01) is released to the Internet. Wikipedia →
1983Vanessa Williams becomes the first black Miss America. Wikipedia →
1980After weeks of strikes at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland, the nationwide independent trade union Solidarity is established. Wikipedia →
1980Former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza Debayle is killed in Asunción, Paraguay. Wikipedia →
1978The Camp David Accords are signed by Israel and Egypt. Wikipedia →
1976The Space Shuttle Enterprise is unveiled by NASA. Wikipedia →
1974Bangladesh, Grenada and Guinea-Bissau join the United Nations. Wikipedia →
1965The Battle of Chawinda is fought between Pakistan and India. Wikipedia →
1961The world's first retractable roof stadium, the Civic Arena, opens in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wikipedia →
1961Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706 crashes during takeoff from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, killing all 37 people on board. Wikipedia →
1950The People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps (Then known as the PLAAF 1st Ground Forces Brigade) is founded. Wikipedia →
1950The Republic of India formally recognised the State of Israel. Wikipedia →
1949The Canadian steamship SS Noronic burns in Toronto Harbour with the loss of over 118 lives. Wikipedia →
1948The Lehi (also known as the Stern gang) assassinates Count Folke Bernadotte, who was appointed by the United Nations to mediate between the Arab nations and Israel. Wikipedia →
1948The Nizam of Hyderabad surrenders his sovereignty over the Hyderabad State and joins the Indian Union. Wikipedia →
1944World War II: Allied airborne troops parachute into the Netherlands as the "Market" half of Operation Market Garden and British XXX Corps advances into the Netherlands as the "Garden" half of the Operation. Wikipedia →
1944World War II: Soviet troops launch the Tallinn Offensive against Germany and pro-independence Estonian units. Wikipedia →
1944World War II: German forces are attacked by the Allies in the Battle of San Marino. Wikipedia →
1941World War II: A decree of the Soviet State Committee of Defense restores compulsory military training. Wikipedia →
1941World War II: Soviet forces enter Tehran during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. Wikipedia →
1940World War II: Due to setbacks in the Battle of Britain and approaching autumn weather, Hitler postpones Operation Sea Lion. Wikipedia →
1939World War II: The Soviet invasion of Poland begins. Wikipedia →
1939World War II: German submarine U-29 sinks the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous. Wikipedia →
1935The Niagara Gorge Railroad ceases operations after a rockslide. Wikipedia →
1932A speech by Laureano Gómez leads to the escalation of the Leticia Incident. Wikipedia →
1930The Kurdish Ararat rebellion is suppressed by the Turks. Wikipedia →
1928The Okeechobee hurricane strikes southeastern Florida, killing more than 2,500 people. Wikipedia →
1924The Border Protection Corps is established in the Second Polish Republic for the defence of the eastern border against armed Soviet raids and local bandits. Wikipedia →
1920The National Football League is organized as the American Professional Football Association in Canton, Ohio. Wikipedia →
1916World War I: Manfred von Richthofen ("The Red Baron"), a flying ace of the German Luftstreitkräfte, wins his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France. Wikipedia →
1914Andrew Fisher becomes Prime Minister of Australia for the third time. Wikipedia →
1914World War I: The Race to the Sea begins. Wikipedia →
1908The Wright Flyer flown by Orville Wright, with Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge as passenger, crashes, killing Selfridge, who becomes the first airplane fatality. Wikipedia →
1901Second Boer War: A Boer column defeats a British force at the Battle of Blood River Poort. Wikipedia →
1901Second Boer War: Boers capture a squadron of the 17th Lancers at the Battle of Elands River. Wikipedia →
1900Philippine–American War: Filipinos under Juan Cailles defeat Americans under Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham Jr. at Mabitac. Wikipedia →
1894Battle of the Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War. Wikipedia →
1862American Civil War: George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac halts the first invasion of the North by Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history. Wikipedia →
1862American Civil War: The Allegheny Arsenal explosion in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania results in the single largest civilian disaster during the war. Wikipedia →
1861Argentine Civil Wars: The State of Buenos Aires defeats the Argentine Confederation at the Battle of Pavón. Wikipedia →
1859Joshua A. Norton declares himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States". Wikipedia →
1849American abolitionist Harriet Tubman makes her first attempt to escape from slavery. Wikipedia →
1809Peace between Sweden and Russia in the Finnish War; the territory that will become Finland is ceded to Russia by the Treaty of Fredrikshamn. Wikipedia →
1794Flanders Campaign: France completes its conquest of the Austrian Netherlands at the Battle of Sprimont. Wikipedia →
1793War of the Pyrenees: France defeats a Spanish force at the Battle of Peyrestortes. Wikipedia →
1787The United States Constitution is signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, bringing the Constitutional Convention to an end. Wikipedia →
1778The Treaty of Fort Pitt is signed. It is the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe. Wikipedia →
1776The Presidio of San Francisco is founded in New Spain. Wikipedia →
1775American Revolutionary War: The invasion of Quebec by the Continental Army begins with the Siege of Fort St. Jean. Wikipedia →
1683Antonie van Leeuwenhoek writes a letter to the Royal Society describing "animalcules", later known as protozoa. Wikipedia →
1658The Battle of Vilanova is fought between Portugal and Spain during the Portuguese Restoration War. Wikipedia →
1631Sweden wins a major victory at the Battle of Breitenfeld against the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years' War. Wikipedia →
1630The city of Boston, Massachusetts, is founded in North America. Wikipedia →
1620Polish–Ottoman War: The Ottoman Empire defeats the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Battle of Cecora. Wikipedia →
1577The Treaty of Bergerac is signed between King Henry III of France and the Huguenots. Wikipedia →
1543The first Finnish-language book, the Abckiria by Mikael Agricola, is published in Stockholm. Wikipedia →
1462Thirteen Years' War: A Polish army under Piotr Dunin decisively defeats the Teutonic Order at the Battle of Świecino. Wikipedia →
1390Manuel drives his nephew John VII, who had declared himself emperor in April of that year, out from Constantinople and ends John's reign. Wikipedia →
1382Louis the Great's daughter, Mary, is crowned "king" of Hungary. Wikipedia →
1176The Battle of Myriokephalon is the last attempt by the Byzantine Empire to recover central Anatolia from the Seljuk Turks. Wikipedia →
1111Highest Galician nobility led by Pedro Fróilaz de Traba and the bishop Diego Gelmírez crown Alfonso VII as "King of Galicia". Wikipedia →
14The Roman Senate decides to deify the late emperor Augustus. Wikipedia →

From The Guardian Archives — On This Day

2025The Guardian
Poverty in California remains highest in US, tied with Louisiana, report says
People of color, renters and children among most affected, as child poverty more than doubles since 2021
Read on The Guardian →
2018The Guardian
My Health Record: big pharma can apply to access data
‘Each application would be assessed on its own merits,’ senators told
Read on The Guardian →
1975The New York Times
Archdiocese Lay Teachers Strike Nine High Schools
More than 1/2 of unionized lay teachers at RC hss in NY Archdiocese strike on Sept 16, forcing 10,000 students in NYC…
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.