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This Day in History: March 17

What Happened On Your Birthday

What Happend On Today In History

Famous Birthday On March 17

  • 1919 Nat King Cole

    American singer, pianist, television host

  • 1883 Urmuz

    Romanian judge, author

  • 1967 Billy Corgan

    American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer

  • 1834 Gottlieb Daimler

    German engineer, businessman, co-founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft

  • 1948 William Gibson

    American/Canadian author

Deaths On March 17

  • 460 Saint Patrick

    Irish missionary, bishop

  • 2006 Oleg Cassini

    French/American fashion designer

  • 180 Marcus Aurelius

    Roman Emperor

  • 2005 George F. Kennan

    American historian, diplomat, United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union

  • 1956 Fred Allen

    American comedian, actor, radio host

More Events On March 17

432: Saint Patrick is captured by Irish pirates

According to tradition, Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was captured by Irish pirates when he was around 16 years old and taken as a slave to Ireland. He later returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary and is credited with converting the Irish to Christianity.

1521: Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines

Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the Spanish flag, reached the Philippines during his attempt to find a western route to the Spice Islands. His expedition marked the first recorded European contact with the Philippines.

1861: Italy is unified under Victor Emmanuel II

Following a series of campaigns led by Italian nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italy was unified into a single kingdom under King Victor Emmanuel II. The new state encompassed most of the Italian peninsula, except for Rome and Venetia, which were added later.

1905: Albert Einstein publishes his Quantum Theory of Light

Albert Einstein's paper detailing his Quantum Theory of Light was published, laying the foundations for modern physics. The theory proposed that light consists of particles called photons, which have both wave-like and particle-like properties.

1939: Battle of Nanchang breaks out in the Sino-Japanese War

The Battle of Nanchang was a major engagement in the Sino-Japanese War that lasted from 1937 to 1945. The battle took place in Jiangxi Province in China and was fought between Chinese forces and the invading Japanese army.

1941: National Gallery of Art opens in Washington, D.C.

The National Gallery of Art, which houses one of the world's finest art collections, was opened by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The gallery's collection includes works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, and Rembrandt.

1942: Bełżec Concentration Camp opens

The Bełżec Concentration Camp was one of the first Nazi death camps established during World War II. Located in occupied Poland, the camp was designed to exterminate Jews and other "undesirables." Between March and December 1942, around 434,500 Jews were killed at the camp.

1959: The Dalai Lama flees Tibet for India

Following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, fled to India along with thousands of his followers. The Dalai Lama established a government-in-exile in India and has since become a prominent spiritual and political leader.

1969: Golda Meir becomes Israel's first female Prime Minister

Golda Meir, a prominent Israeli politician and stateswoman, became the first female Prime Minister of Israel. Meir served as Prime Minister from 1969 to 1974 and was known for her strong leadership during a difficult period in Israeli history.

1973: Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph "Burst of Joy" is taken

Photographer Slava Veder captured the iconic image known as "Burst of Joy," which depicted a former U.S. prisoner of war being reunited with his family during the Vietnam War.

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