What are the important events that happened on March 17? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
March 17: Facts & Myths About This Day
March 17 is the 76th day of the year 2013 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 289 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Sunday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is March 4, 2013 – a Sunday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 1,363,478,400 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘heptacontahexagon’ day.
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Pisces is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Aquamarine is the modern birthstone for this month. Jade is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 320 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 86 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Out of the blue someone is thinking of you today. If that special someone wants to buy a gift for you, which one will you choose: mini laptops, training shoes or exercise machines?
March 17 Historical Events
- 624 –Led by Muhammad, the Muslims of Medina defeat the Quraysh of Mecca in the Battle of Badr.
- 1780 –American Revolution: George Washington grants the Continental Army a holiday “as an act of solidarity with the Irish in their fight for independence”.
- 1842 –The Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is formed;
- 1860 –The First Taranaki War begins in Taranaki, New Zealand, a major phase of the New Zealand land wars.
- 1891 –SS Utopia collides with HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar and sinks, killing 562 of the 880 passengers on board.
- 1941 –In Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art is officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- 1958 –The United States launches the Vanguard 1 satellite.
- 1973 –The Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph Burst of Joy is taken, depicting a former prisoner of war being reunited with his family.
- 1992 –A referendum to end apartheid in South Africa is passed 68.7% to 31.2%.
- 2000 –More than 800 members of the Ugandan cult Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God die in what is considered to be a mass murder and suicide orchestrated by leaders of the cult.
Who were born on March 17?
- 1787 –Edmund Kean, English actor (d. 1833)
- 1862 –Silvio Gesell, Belgian economist (d. 1930)
- 1866 –Pierce Butler, Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (d. 1939)
- 1886 –Princess Patricia of Connaught, British princess (d. 1974)
- 1938 –Zola Taylor, American singer (The Platters) (d. 2007)
- 1940 –Mark White, American politician
- 1960 –Rebeca Arthur, American actress
- 1967 –Billy Corgan, American musician (Smashing Pumpkins)
- 1973 –Jerome Woods, American football player
- 1978 –Adam Jennings, British actor, producer and director
Who died on March 17?
- 180 –Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor (b. 121)
- 1640 –Philip Massinger, English dramatist (b. 1583)
- 1713 –Juraj Jánošík, famous Slovak outlaw (b. 1688)
- 1937 –Austen Chamberlain, English statesman, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1863)
- 1941 –Marguerite Nichols, American actress (b. 1895)
- 1962 –Pat Clayton, British surveyor and explorer (b. 1896)
- 1990 –Ric Grech, British bass player (Blind Faith – Traffic) (b. 1946)
- 1999 –Rod Hull, British comedian (b. 1936)
- 2003 –Su Buqing, Chinese mathematician and educator (b. 1902)
- 2006 –Ray Meyer, American basketball coach (b. 1913)
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