28 fun facts for August, 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
August 17th is a day filled with historic events and celebrations, such as Indonesia and Gabon's Independence Days, the Klondike Gold Rush, Woodstock festival, and the launch of several space missions. Notable figures like Davy Crockett and Carl Wilhelm Scheele were born, and significant achievements in science, sports, and technology were made on this day.
28 Fun facts
  1. (1743) On August 17th, Swedish scientist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, known as the "hard luck chemist," was born. Scheele discovered several chemical elements, such as oxygen and chlorine, but often did not receive credit for his discoveries.
  2. (1786) American frontiersman, Davy Crockett, was born on August 17th. Crockett was a folk hero, soldier, and politician, who later died at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836.
  3. (1807) Robert Fulton's steamboat, the "Clermont," successfully began its first voyage on August 17th, ushering in a new era of steam-powered transportation in the United States.
  4. (1896) A prospecting party discovered gold near the Klondike River in Yukon, Canada on August 17th. This discovery marked the beginning of the Klondike Gold Rush, which attracted over 100,000 prospectors seeking fortune.
  5. (1943) On August 17th, the Allied forces completed the conquest of Sicily during World War II. This significant victory paved the way for the invasion of mainland Italy.
  6. (1958) On this day, the world's first successful lunar probe, the USSR's Luna 1, was launched, beginning the era of lunar exploration.
  7. (1960) On August 17th, Gabon gained independence from France, transforming from a French colony into a sovereign nation.
  8. (1962) American singer Ringo Starr became the official drummer for The Beatles on August 17th, solidifying the legendary lineup of the Fab Four.
  9. (1969) On this day, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair concluded in Bethel, New York. Over 400,000 people attended the historic event, which featured iconic performances from artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.
  10. (1970) The Soviet Union launched Venera 7 on August 17th, which became the first spacecraft to successfully land on Venus and transmit data back to Earth.
  11. (1978) August 17th marked the first successful Trans-Atlantic balloon crossing by three American balloonists in the "Double Eagle II."
  12. (1982) The first commercial compact disc (CD) was produced on August 17th, revolutionizing the way we listen to and store music.
  13. (1987) On this day, Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler's deputy in the Nazi Party, was found dead in his prison cell at age 93, after serving a life sentence for war crimes.
  14. (1998) US President Bill Clinton admitted on August 17th to having an "inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern.
  15. (1999) A powerful earthquake struck İzmit, Turkey, on August 17th, killing over 17,000 people and causing extensive damage in the region.
  16. (2002) On this day, Australian astronomers announced the discovery of a new dwarf planet, 50000 Quaoar, in our solar system.
  17. (2008) Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics on August 17th, breaking the record for the most gold medals won by an individual in a single Olympic Games.
  18. (2010) August 17th, Colombia celebrated its first-ever Agriculture and Livestock Day, paying tribute to the country's farmers and agricultural sector.
  19. (2013) Usain Bolt became the first athlete to win three gold medals in the 200-meter race at the World Athletics Championships on August 17th.
  20. (2014) On this day, Pope Francis beatified more than 120 Chinese martyrs, recognizing their martyrdom for the Roman Catholic faith during the Boxer Rebellion.
  21. (2015) South Korea and North Korea agreed to resume talks on August 17th, diffusing tensions after a landmine explosion at the heavily militarized border.
  22. (2016) NASA announced on August 17th the discovery of an Earth-like planet, Proxima Centauri b, orbiting the nearest star to our solar system.
  23. (2017) Spain suffered a terrorist attack on August 17th, when a van plowed through a crowd of people in Barcelona, killing 13 and injuring more than 100.
  24. (2018) The film "Crazy Rich Asians" premiered on August 17th, becoming the first major Hollywood film with an all-Asian cast in 25 years.
  25. (2020) Joe Biden announced on August 17th that he has chosen Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, making her the first woman of color to be nominated for national office by a major political party.
  26. Indonesia celebrates its Independence Day on August 17th, commemorating the declaration of independence from Dutch colonial rule in 1945.
  27. Gabon celebrates its National Day on August 17th, marking the country's independence from France in 1960.
  28. On August 17th, many countries around the world observe National Thrift Shop Day, celebrating the value and benefits of shopping at thrift stores.

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