On This Day- March 17th
Sure, March 17th 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.
