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 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 289 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Monday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is March 4, 2025 – a Monday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 483,936 hours 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 337 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 4,469 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Do people and celebrities interest you? Discover all the March 17 famous birthdays who share your special day. Learn some fun facts about your birthday!
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March 17 Historical Events
- 624 –Led by Muhammad, the Muslims of Medina defeat the Quraysh of Mecca in the Battle of Badr.
- 1842 –The Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is formed;
- 1861 –The Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) is proclaimed.
- 1941 –In Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art is officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- 1947 –First flight of the B-45 Tornado strategic bomber.
- 1950 –Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley announce the creation of element 98, which they name “Californium”.
- 1957 –A plane crash in Cebu, Philippines kills Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay and 24 others.
- 1969 –Golda Meir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Israel.
- 1979 –The Penmanshiel Tunnel collapses during engineering works, killing two workers.
- 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?
- 1880 –Sir Patrick Hastings, British barrister (d. 1952)
- 1911 –Vello Kaaristo, Estonian cross-country skier (d. 1965)
- 1928 –William John McKeag, Canadian politician (d. 2007)
- 1938 –Rudolf Nureyev, Russian-born dancer and choreographer (d. 1993)
- 1947 –Yury Chernavsky, Russian-born composer and producer
- 1951 –Craig Ramsay, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1951 –Donald Findlay, Scottish lawyer
- 1966 –Jeremy Sheffield, English actor
- 1969 –Mathew St. Patrick, American actor
- 1970 –Yanic Truesdale, Canadian actor
Who died on March 17?
- 1782 –Daniel Bernoulli, Dutch-born mathematician (b. 1700)
- 1961 –Susanna M. Salter, American politician (b. 1860)
- 1988 –Nikolas Asimos, Greek counter-culture composer and singer (b. 1949)
- 1989 –Merritt Butrick, American actor (b. 1959)
- 1992 –Grace Stafford, American actress (b. 1903)
- 1993 –Helen Hayes, American actress (b. 1900)
- 1999 –Ernest Gold, Austrian composer (b. 1921)
- 2002 –Pat Weaver, American broadcast executive (b. 1908)
- 2007 –Jim Cronin, British animal welfare activist (b. 1951)
- 2009 –Clodovil Hernandes, Brazilian politician and TV host (b. 1937)
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