Major Events
- 656 Ali ibn Abu Talib elected the 4th Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate
- 1527 Pánfilo de Narváez departs Spain to explore Florida with 5 ships and 600 men, by 1536 only 4 are still alive
- 1579 English navigator Francis Drake lands on the coast of California at Drakes Bay, names it "New Albion" [1]
- 1631 Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, then spends more than 20 years building her tomb, the Taj Mahal
- 1789 French Revolution: During the meeting of the Estates-General, the Third Estate proclaims itself the 'National Assembly'
- 1837 Charles Goodyear obtains his 1st rubber patent
- 1856 Republican Party opens its 1st national convention in Philadelphia
- More June 17 Events
Jun 17 in Film & TV
- 2018 "The Incredibles 2" sets a box office record for an animated release, earning $180 million its opening weekend
Jun 17 in Music
- 1971 Carole King's album "Tapestry" goes to #1 on US album charts and stays there for 15 weeks
Jun 17 in Sport
- 1962 US Open Men's Golf, Oakmont CC: Jack Nicklaus wins his first major title by 3 strokes in an 18-hole playoff with Arnold Palmer
Did You Know?
"Things Fall Apart" by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe published by Heinemann - considered most widely read book in African literature
Edward I
Charles XII
James Weldon Johnson
Martin Bormann
Barry Manilow
Kendrick Lamar
Fun Fact About June 17
Last public guillotining in France. Eugen Weidmann, a convicted murderer, is guillotined in Versailles outside the prison Saint-Pierre
Famous Weddings
- 1835 Soldier and politician Jefferson Davis (27) weds Sarah Knox Taylor (21) in Louisville, Kentucky
- 1853 Prime Minister of Canada Alexander Mackenzie (31) weds second wife Jane Sym
- 1871 Canadian giantess Anna Haining Swan (7ft 11in tall) marries the 'Kentucky Giant' Martin Van Buren Bates (7ft 9in tall) at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London
Famous Divorces
- 1988 Bruce Springsteen separates from Julianne Phillips
More June 17 Weddings
Joseph Addison
Maxwell Perkins
Tarsila do Amaral
Rodney King
Mohamed MorsiArticles, Photos and Quiz
Francis Drake Lands in California
1590 depiction of Francis Drake's landing in what he called New Albion, now northern California
June 17, 1579
Taj Mahal: A Monument To Love
An emperor’s beloved wife died on this day. Heartbroken, he began a 22-year project to build a unique monument on her burial site – the magnificent Taj Mahal.
June 17, 1631
Weekly Quiz for June 15-21
Test your knowledge of historical events and famous people in our multi-choice, weekly history quiz for June 15-21. Then challenge your friends!
