Births on October 17

Adolphe-Félix Cals, French painter (d. 1880)

Adolphe-Félix Cals (17 October 1810 – 3 October 1880) was a French portrait, genre, and landscape painter.

4 Feb

Guadeloupe
The Royal Navy seizes Guadeloupe.
23 Jun

Pacific Fur Company
John Jacob Astor forms the Pacific Fur Company.
27 Aug

Battle of Grand Port
Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeats the British Royal Navy, preventing them from taking the harbour of Grand Port on Île de France.
16 Sep

Mexican War of Independence
With the Grito de Dolores, Father Miguel Hidalgo begins Mexico's fight for independence from Spain.
27 Oct

West Florida
United States annexes the former Spanish colony of West Florida.