December 17 in History

Historical Events on December 17

1777 American Revolution: France formally recognizes the United States.

1819 Simón Bolívar declares the independence of Gran Colombia in Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar in Venezuela).

1903 The Wright brothers make the first controlled powered, heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

1907 Ugyen Wangchuck is crowned first King of Bhutan

1944 World War II: Battle of the Bulge: Malmedy massacre: American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs are shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Joachim Peiper.

1989 Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timișoara, Romania, with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire.

2003 The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, is found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

2005 Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicates the throne as King of Bhutan.

2014 The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations after severing them in 1960.

All Events

Famous Birthdays on December 17

1936 Pope Francis

1942 Muhammadu Buhari

1978 Manny Pacquiao

1987 Chelsea Manning

All Births

Famous Deaths on December 17

1830 Simón Bolívar

1907 William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin

2010 Captain Beefheart

2011 Kim Jong-il

All Deaths

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