Today in History – January 17 in History
What happened on this day in history – January 17 in History
1601 | The Treaty of Lyons ends a short war between France and Savoy. | |
1746 | Charles Edward Stuart, the young pretender, defeats the government forces at the battle of Falkirk in Scotland. | |
1773 | Captain James Cook becomes the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle. | |
1819 | Simon Bolivar the “liberator” proclaims Columbia a republic. | |
1893 | Queen Liliuokalani, the Hawaiian monarch, is overthrown by a group of American sugar planters led by Sanford Ballard Dole. | |
1852 | At the Sand River Convention, the British recognize the independence of the Transvaal Board. | |
1912 | Robert Scott reaches the South Pole only a month after Roald Amundsen. | |
1939 | The Reich issues an order forbidding Jews to practice as dentists, veterinarians and chemists. | |
1945 | The Red army occupies Warsaw. | |
1963 | Soviet leader Khrushchev visits the Berlin Wall. | |
1985 | A jury in New Jersey rules that terminally ill patients have the right to starve themselves. | |
Born on January 17 | ||
1504 | Pius V, Pope 1566-1572. | |
1706 | Benjamin Franklin, statesman, diplomat, scientist and inventor who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac. | |
1860 | Anton Chekhov, Russian playwright and short story writer famous for The Seagull and Three Sisters. | |
1863 | David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister during World War I. | |
1899 | Al Capone, U.S. mobster known as “Scarface Al” who ran most of Chicago and the surrounding area. | |
1922 | Betty White, actress; created memorable characters in TV sitcoms from the 1950s into the 21st century (Life with Elizabeth, Mary Tyler Moore, The Golden Girls, Hot in Cleveland) and was a popular guest on TV games shows. At age 88 and a half she became the oldest person ever to host Saturday Night Live (2010). | |
1942 | Muhammad Ali [Cassius Clay], U.S. boxer, “The Greatest,” who is the only three-time heavyweight champion.. | |
1964 | Michelle Robinson Obama, wife of US President Barack Obama. |