Birthday December 17, 1778 Sir Humphry Davy, discovered several chemical elements
Birthday December 17, 1797 Joseph Henry, American scientist and inventor
Birthday December 17, 1807 John Greenleaf Whittier, poet
Birthday December 17, 1853 Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, English Actor, theater manager
Birthday December 17, 1873 Ford Madox Ford is born
Birthday December 17, 1874 William Lyon Mackenzie King, (L), 10th Canadian PM (1921-30, 1935-48)
Birthday December 17, 1889 Silver Dollar Tabor born in Denver
Birthday December 17, 1894 Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops conductor
Birthday December 17, 1903 Erskine Caldwell, author (Tobacco Road, God's Little Acre)
Birthday December 17, 1908 Willard Frank Libby, invented carbon-14 "atomic clock"
Birthday December 17, 1926 Patrice Wymore
Birthday December 17, 1929 William Safire, political columnist
Birthday December 17, 1930 Julia Meade
Birthday December 17, 1936 Roland Sheldon, Yankee Pitcher
Birthday December 17, 1936 Tommy Steele, singer
History December 17, 1538 Pope Paul III excommunicated England's King Henry VIII
History December 17, 1777 France formally recognizes the United States
History December 17, 1777 France recognizes independance of the 13 colonies
History December 17, 1790 Aztec calendar stone discovered in Mexico City
History December 17, 1791 NYC traffic regulation creates 1st one-way street
History December 17, 1792 Opening of 1st legislative assembly of Lower Canada in Quebec city
History December 17, 1843 Charles Dickens's classic: A Christmas Carol published
History December 17, 1843 A Christmas Carol is published
History December 17, 1852 1st Hawaiian cavalry organized
History December 17, 1860 Anaheim Township created in LA County
History December 17, 1862 Grant expels the Jews from his department
History December 17, 1862 Grant expels Jews from Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi
History December 17, 1875 Violent bread riots at Montreal
History December 17, 1903 At 10:35AM 1st sustained motorized aircraft flight by Wright Bros
History December 17, 1920 Japan receives League of Nations mandate over Pacific islands
History December 17, 1933 1st professional NFL football game: Chicago Bears vs NY Giants
History December 17, 1941 Commander at Pearl Harbor canned
History December 17, 1944 M-OceanView streetcar resumes service & is extended to Market St
History December 17, 1944 U.S. approves end to internment of Japanese Americans
History December 17, 1954 1st fully automated railroad freight yard - Gary In
History December 17, 1959 1st movie opening simultaneously in major cities - On The Beach
History December 17, 1961 Circus catches fire in Brazil
History December 17, 1971 Cambodian forces under heavy pressure
History December 17, 1975 1st time Islanders shut-out Rangers 3-0 - Billy Smith's 5th
History December 17, 1975 Squeaky Fromme sentenced to life
History December 17, 1979 Budweiser rocket car reaches 1190 kph (record for wheeled vehicle)
History December 17, 1979 Stuntman Stan Barrett breaks the sound barrier
History December 17, 1986 Operation Iceman nabs the culprit
History December 17, 1990 Aristide wins Haiti's first free election
History December 17, 1991 A federal court puts its stamp on hip-hop
History December 17, 1991 Yeltsin supporters announce Soviet Union will cease to exist by New Year's Eve
History December 17, 1996 Peruvian rebels seize Japanese ambassador's home
History December 17, 2000 Terrell Owens makes record-breaking 20 catches
History December 17, 2003 Third and final Lord of the Rings movie opens
History December 17, 2011 Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea, dies
December 17, 1778 Sir Humphry Davy, discovered several chemical elements
December 17, 1797 Joseph Henry, American scientist and inventor
December 17, 1807 John Greenleaf Whittier, poet
December 17, 1853 Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, English Actor, theater manager
December 17, 1873 Ford Madox Ford is born
December 17, 1874 William Lyon Mackenzie King, (L), 10th Canadian PM (1921-30, 1935-48)
December 17, 1889 Silver Dollar Tabor born in Denver
December 17, 1894 Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops conductor
December 17, 1903 Erskine Caldwell, author (Tobacco Road, God's Little Acre)
December 17, 1908 Willard Frank Libby, invented carbon-14 "atomic clock"
December 17, 1926 Patrice Wymore
December 17, 1929 William Safire, political columnist
December 17, 1930 Julia Meade
December 17, 1936 Roland Sheldon, Yankee Pitcher
December 17, 1936 Tommy Steele, singer
December 17, 1538 Pope Paul III excommunicated England's King Henry VIII
December 17, 1777 France formally recognizes the United States
December 17, 1777 France recognizes independance of the 13 colonies
December 17, 1790 Aztec calendar stone discovered in Mexico City
December 17, 1791 NYC traffic regulation creates 1st one-way street
December 17, 1792 Opening of 1st legislative assembly of Lower Canada in Quebec city
December 17, 1843 Charles Dickens's classic: A Christmas Carol published
December 17, 1843 A Christmas Carol is published
December 17, 1852 1st Hawaiian cavalry organized
December 17, 1860 Anaheim Township created in LA County
December 17, 1862 Grant expels the Jews from his department
December 17, 1862 Grant expels Jews from Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi
December 17, 1875 Violent bread riots at Montreal
December 17, 1903 At 10:35AM 1st sustained motorized aircraft flight by Wright Bros
December 17, 1920 Japan receives League of Nations mandate over Pacific islands
December 17, 1933 1st professional NFL football game: Chicago Bears vs NY Giants
December 17, 1941 Commander at Pearl Harbor canned
December 17, 1944 M-OceanView streetcar resumes service & is extended to Market St
December 17, 1944 U.S. approves end to internment of Japanese Americans
December 17, 1954 1st fully automated railroad freight yard - Gary In
December 17, 1959 1st movie opening simultaneously in major cities - On The Beach
December 17, 1961 Circus catches fire in Brazil
December 17, 1971 Cambodian forces under heavy pressure
December 17, 1975 1st time Islanders shut-out Rangers 3-0 - Billy Smith's 5th
December 17, 1975 Squeaky Fromme sentenced to life
December 17, 1979 Budweiser rocket car reaches 1190 kph (record for wheeled vehicle)
December 17, 1979 Stuntman Stan Barrett breaks the sound barrier
December 17, 1986 Operation Iceman nabs the culprit
December 17, 1990 Aristide wins Haiti's first free election
December 17, 1991 A federal court puts its stamp on hip-hop
December 17, 1991 Yeltsin supporters announce Soviet Union will cease to exist by New Year's Eve
December 17, 1996 Peruvian rebels seize Japanese ambassador's home
December 17, 2000 Terrell Owens makes record-breaking 20 catches
December 17, 2003 Third and final Lord of the Rings movie opens
December 17, 2011 Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea, dies