On This Day- March 17th

On This Day- March 17^th

Sure, March 17^th is all about being Irish, but a lot more has happened on that date than some people realize.

461 AD

St. Patrick passes away in Downpatrick, Ireland. He had originally arrived in Ireland as a slave at the age of 16; after six years, he found a way to return home to Britain and reunited with his family. He returned to Ireland as a bishop in 433 and began preaching; he spent the rest of his life ministering to the Irish. He is commonly depicted holding a shamrock, carrying a cross, or holding a serpent or a harp.

1473

King James IV of Scotland is born; he died in 1513 at the Battle of Flodden.

1521

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines.

 

1762

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated for the first time with a parade in New York City.

1845

The rubber band is patented in London.

 

1861

The unified Kingdom of Italy is proclaimed.

1917

American musician Nat King Cole is born,

1930

Mob boss Al Capone is released from prison.

1942

Serial killer John Wayne Gacy is born.

1949

The first car with a Porsche badge is shown in Geneva, Switzerland.

1958

The American satellite Vanguard 1 is launched.

1959

 The Dalai Lama flees Tibet for India.

1966

An American submarine finds a missing hydrogen bomb in the Mediterranean Sea.

1992

A majority of white South African voters back proposed reforms and effectively endorse the end of apartheid in that country.

2001

The Eden Project opens in England; at the time, it is the world’s largest greenhouse.