22 fun facts for March, 17

Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
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Summary
March 17th is a day full of interesting historical events, from the very first St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City in 1762 to the expansion of the European Union in 1995. Celebrated annually as St. Patrick's Day, this date has also seen significant achievements in science, politics, and culture throughout history.
22 Fun facts
  1. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated every year on March 17th to honor the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. It includes parades, wearing green and shamrock-themed accessories, and various Irish-themed festivities.
  2. In 1674, England and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Westminster, which ended the Third Anglo-Dutch War. This treaty led to the return of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam to England, which renamed it New York.
  3. On this day in 1762, the first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City. Irish soldiers serving in the British Army marched to honor St. Patrick and Ireland.
  4. In 1845, the rubber band was invented by Englishman Stephen Perry. The invention revolutionized the way people bundled papers and other items together.
  5. On March 17, 1861, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed when the first Italian Parliament met at Turin. This signified the unification of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel II.
  6. In 1891, the British steamship SS Utopia sank off the coast of Gibraltar, resulting in the deaths of over 500 passengers and crew. This maritime disaster prompted increased safety regulations.
  7. On this day in 1905, Franklin D. Roosevelt married his distant cousin, Eleanor Roosevelt. Their marriage and partnership would later influence American politics and activism during the Great Depression and World War II.
  8. In 1917, the United States adopted Daylight Saving Time to conserve energy during World War I. The practice was later adopted by many other countries.
  9. On March 17, 1921, Marie Stopes opened the first birth control clinic in London, England. This marked the beginning of accessible family planning for women.
  10. In 1930, construction began on the Empire State Building in New York City. The iconic skyscraper would be completed in just over a year.
  11. On this day in 1941, the National Gallery of Art opened in Washington, D.C., featuring artwork donated by Andrew Mellon, founder of the Mellon Bank and former Secretary of the Treasury.
  12. In 1950, researchers announced they had successfully isolated the polio virus, paving the way for the development of a vaccine against the disease.
  13. On March 17, 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India, following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet. He has lived in exile ever since.
  14. In 1969, the Long Island Expressway in New York was completed, forming one of the busiest and longest highways in the United States.
  15. On this day in 1988, a Colombian Avianca Airlines Boeing 727 crashed, killing 43 people. The cause of the crash was later determined to be an uncontrollable engine thrust.
  16. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina was bombed, killing 29 people and injuring over 200. The Islamic Jihad Organization claimed responsibility for the attack.
  17. On March 17, 1995, the European Union expanded its membership with the addition of Austria, Finland, and Sweden.
  18. In 2000, the world's largest Ferris wheel, the London Eye, opened to the public in London, England.
  19. On this day in 2003, the world's largest freshwater aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium, opened in Atlanta, Georgia.
  20. In 2011, the United Nations declared March 17th as the International Day of Happiness, as a way to globally recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world.
  21. On March 17, 2013, Xi Jinping was elected President of the People's Republic of China.
  22. In 2018, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico resigned following mass protests over the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée.

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