June 17th Through History

Explanation: The transformation of the Estates-General into the National Assembly on June 17, 1789, is considered the founding act of the French Revolution. Three days later, on June 20, the deputies swore the famous Tennis Court Oath, refusing to disband until a constitution had been adopted.

Explanation: The Watergate scandal engulfed Republican president Richard Nixon, whose campaign team members had organized the break-in at the Democratic Party headquarters. Nixon ultimately resigned on August 9, 1974, the only U.S. president in history to have done so.

Explanation: Rudolf Nureyev, principal dancer of the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, refused to return to the USSR during a tour in France. His defection was a major event of the Cold War. He went on to become one of the most admired dancers in the world, notably partnering with Margot Fonteyn.

Explanation: The sinking of the Lancastria off Saint-Nazaire on June 17, 1940, remains the worst maritime disaster in British history. Despite the scale of the tragedy, Churchill had the news censored to avoid further demoralizing British public opinion, already shaken by Dunkirk.

Explanation: The Battle of Bunker Hill, which actually took place mostly on Breed's Hill near Boston, was one of the first major battles of the American Revolution. Although the British took the hill, they suffered heavy losses (around 1,000 soldiers), showing that the colonial militias could stand up to the regular army.

Explanation: The Rite of Spring, premiered on May 29, 1913, at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, sparked a notorious scandal at its opening night: the audience split so violently that the performance descended into a near-riot in the hall. This revolutionary work is now seen as a major turning point in the history of classical music.

Explanation: Arjumand Banu Begam, nicknamed Mumtaz Mahal (the light of the palace), died giving birth to her fourteenth child. Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal built in Agra in her memory, a masterpiece of Mughal architecture that took about 22 years to complete and required more than 20,000 workers.

Explanation: Iceland had been under Danish rule since the late 14th century. When Nazi Germany occupied Denmark in 1940, Iceland gained more and more autonomy, before proclaiming itself an independent republic on June 17, 1944. The date is now Iceland's national day, chosen in reference to the birthday of national hero Jon Sigurdsson, born on a June 17.

Explanation: Eddy Merckx won the Tour de France five times, the Giro d'Italia five times, and the Vuelta a Espana once. His nickname, the Cannibal, was given to him because he left nothing for the other riders, winning absolutely everything he could. He still holds the record for the most stage wins at the Tour de France with 34 victories.

Explanation: The Moors, a term referring to the Berber and Arab Muslims who came from North Africa, had conquered nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula by 711. The Reconquista stretched over nearly eight centuries and ended in 1492 with the capture of Granada by the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand, the same year Christopher Columbus reached the Americas.