| September 17 |
| 1630 |
|
The town of Boston is founded by John Winthrop as
an extension of the colony at Salem. It is named after the town of the same name
in Lincolnshire, England. |
| 1787 |
|
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia approves
the constitution for the United States of America. |
| 1796 |
|
President George Washington delivers his "Farewell
Address" to Congress before concluding his second term in office. |
| 1862 |
|
The Battle of Antietam in Maryland, the bloodiest
day in U.S. history, commences. Fighting in the corn field, Bloody Lane and Burnside's
Bridge rages all day as the Union and Confederate armies suffer a combined 26,293
casualties. |
| 1868 |
|
The Battle of Beecher's Island begins, in which
Major George "Sandy" Forsyth and 50 volunteers hold off 500 Sioux and Cheyenne
in eastern Colorado. |
| 1902 |
|
U.S. troops are sent to Panama to keep train lines
open over the isthmus as Panamanian nationals struggle for independence from Colombia. |
| 1903 |
|
Turks destroy the town of Kastoria in Bulgaria,
killing 10,000 civilians. |
| 1917 |
|
The German Army recaptures the Russian Port of Riga
from Russian forces. |
| 1939 |
|
With the German army already attacking western Poland,
the Soviet Union launches an invasion of eastern Poland. |
| 1942 |
|
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill meets with
Soviet Premier Josef Stalin in Moscow as the German Army rams into Stalingrad. |
| 1944 |
|
British airborne troops parachute into Holland to
capture the Arnhem bridge as part of Operation Market-Garden. The plan called
for the airborne troops to be relieved by British troops, but they were left stranded
and eventually surrendered to the Germans. |
| 1947 |
|
James Forestall is sworn in as first the U.S. Secretary
of Defense. |
| 1957 |
|
The Thai army seizes power in Bangkok. |
| 1959 |
|
The X-15 rocket plane makes its first flight. |
| 1962 |
|
The first federal suit to end public school segregation
is filed by the U.S. Justice Department. |
| 1976 |
|
The Space Shuttle is unveiled to the public. |
|
