Special Sub-Topic: This Day In History - 17 May Click Here To Play: This Day In History - 17 May

Who set out to sail across the Atlantic Ocean on 17 May 1970?

Thor Heyerdahl. Norwegian, Thor Heyerdahl, set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Morocco in 'Ra II', a papyrus sail boat modelled on ancient Egyptian vessels, on 17 May 1970. It took Thor and his crew, 57 days to travel the 4,000 miles to Barbados.

On 17 May 1954, the US Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision in which famous civil rights case?

Brown v Board of Education. A civil rights victory occurred when the US Supreme Court gave a unanimous decision in Brown v Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas. The decision ruled that racial segregation in public education was unconstitutional. The case came about because Linda Brown, an African-American girl, had been denied admission to the local school in Kansas because of the colour of her skin.

Who fled an Arizona reservation on 17 May 1885?

Geronimo. On 17 May 1885, for the second time in two years, Apache Chief Geronimo escaped from an Arizona reservation. Leader of the Chiricahua Apache, Geronimo was a fearless warrior and over 5,000 troops were unable to find him. However, in September 1886 he was told that his family had been taken to Florida and he surrendered.

Which famous aircraft flew its twenty fifth mission on 17 May 1943?

Memphis Belle. The Memphis Belle flew its twenty fifth bombing mission on 17 May 1943. One of several American bombers based in Britain, it was the first Boeing B-17 'Flying Fortress' to complete twenty five missions over Europe. The 1990 movie starring John Lithgow, Matthew Modine and Eric Stoltz called 'Memphis Belle' had a fictional storyline.

On 17 May 1935, which of the following was martyred and became a saint?

Antonia Mesina. The second eldest of ten peasant children, Antonia Mesina was born in Sardinia in June 1919. At the age of 16 she was beaten to death by a teenage boy and became a martyr to purity. She was beatified in October 1987 by Pope John Paul II in Rome.

Which of the following vessels did NOT join the USS Washington in Iceland on 17 May 1942?

HMNZS Achilles. In Iceland, the USS Washington was joined by HMS Duke of York (a battleship), HMS Victorious and USS Wasp (aircraft carriers) and various other vessels to escort Convoy PQ-16, made up of twenty-five merchant vessels, headed for Murmansk. The HMNZS Achilles was in Vila, Fiji, on a practice mission.

In which of the following countries was 'Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones' released on 17 May 2002?

Holland. 'Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones' was released on 16 May 2002 in Austria, Canada and the United States!

Who was crowned Queen of Scotland on 17 May 1590?

Anne of Denmark. Anne of Denmark was the daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark and Norway. She married James the VI, King of Scotland, in 1589 (he was later to become James I of England). Elizabeth of Bohemia was the daughter of James and Anne, and Sophia of Hanover was Elizabeth's daughter. Sophia of Mecklenburg-Güstrow was Anne's mother.

On 17 May 1792 the 'Buttonwood Agreement' brought into being which Stock Exchange?

New York. Twenty four stock brokers signed the 'Buttonwood Agreement' on Wall Street on 17 May 1792 and in 1817 this group became officially known as the New York Stock and Exchange Board. The Helsinki Stock Exchange opened in 1912. The Boston Stock Exchange was founded in 1834. The Irish Stock Exchange can trace its history to 1793.

Which of the following instruments was patented on 17 May 1846?

Saxophone. Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument maker and clarinet player who worked in Paris, created the saxophone in the mid 1840s and patented it on 17 May 1846. A German instrument maker created the first clarinet in the 1700s. The oboe was developed from an ancient instrument called a shawm in the 17th century. The (modern) concert flute was invented in the 1870s by flautist Theobold Boehm.