What happened in 1917
38 entries recorded for 1917, listed by date. That was 109 years ago.
1917 at a glance
- Years ago
- 109 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 20th century
- Decade
- 1910s
- Generation born
- Greatest Generation
- Entries here
- 38
- Breakdown
- 38 historical events
January
- January 9
World War I
First World War: Troops of the British Empire defeated Ottoman forces at the Battle of Rafa on the Sinai–Palestine border.
- January 10
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition: Seven survivors of the Ross Sea party were rescued after being stranded for several months.
- January 25
Armed merchantman
Serving as a British armed merchant cruiser, Laurentic (pictured) was sunk by German naval mines off the northern coast of Ireland, resulting in 354 deaths.
February
- February 5
United States Congress
The U.S. Congress overrode President Woodrow Wilson's veto to pass the Immigration Act of 1917, establishing new restrictions on immigrants, including the wholesale ban of people from much of Asia.
- February 12
Toluca FC
Mexican football club Toluca FC was founded by a group of local businessmen and sports enthusiasts.
- February 26
Original Dixieland Jass Band
The Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded "Livery Stable Blues", the first jazz single ever released.
March
- March 10
1917 Franco-Russian agreement
Russia and France reached an agreement' to support one another's territorial ambitions for Europe in the aftermath of World War I.
- March 15
Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution: Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate in the February Revolution, ending three centuries of Romanov rule.
- March 17
World War I
World War I: Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster led a force to rescue 92 prisoners of war from Bir Hakeim, killing the Senussi guards and their families.
- March 25
World War I
World War I: A delayed action bomb left by German troops exploded in the town hall of Bapaume, France, killing 24 soldiers and civilians.
- March 25
Nicholas II
Following the overthrow of the Russian tsar Nicholas II, Georgia's bishops unilaterally restored the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
- March 26
World War I
First World War: Attempting to advance into Palestine, the British were defeated by Ottoman troops at the First Battle of Gaza.
April
- April 8
World War I
World War I: German naval officer Wilhelm Werner murdered 19 captured crew members of the British cargo ship Torrington by submerging U-55 when they were on deck.
- April 9
World War I
First World War: The Canadian Corps began the first wave of attacks of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in Vimy, France.
- April 16
World War I
World War I: Several French army corps began a massive assault against the German-occupied Chemin des Dames ridge, south of Laon, France.
May
- May 21
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Imperial War Graves Commission was established by royal charter to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of British Empire military forces.
June
- June 3
Leeds Convention
A socialist convention in Leeds, United Kingdom, called for an end to the First World War and the establishment of Workers' and Soldiers' Delegates across the country.
- June 7
World War I
First World War: The British Army detonated 19 ammonal mines under German lines, killing perhaps 10,000 in the deadliest non-nuclear man-made explosion in history during the Battle of Messines.
- June 11
Alexander of Greece
Alexander (pictured) was crowned King of Greece, succeeding his father Constantine I, who had abdicated.
July
- July 2
Battle of Aqaba
In the leadup to the Battle of Aqaba, T. E. Lawrence and his Arab forces defeat a battalion of Ottomans at Abu al-Lissan.
- July 20
Nikola Pašić
Serbian prime minister Nikola Pašić and Yugoslav Committee president Ante Trumbić signed the Corfu Declaration, agreeing to seek the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
- July 28
NAACP
In New York City, the NAACP and church and community leaders organized a silent march of at least 8,000 people to protest violence directed towards African Americans.
- July 31
World War I
First World War: The Battle of Passchendaele began near Ypres, Belgium, with the Allies aiming to force German troops to withdraw from the Channel Ports.
September
- September 26
World War I
World War I: The Battle of Polygon Wood, part of the Battle of Passchendaele, began near Ypres, Belgium.
- September 27
Broadhurst Theatre
The Broadhurst Theatre opened in New York City with a performance of Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw.
October
- October 4
World War I
First World War: The Allies devastated the German defence at the Battle of Broodseinde, prompting a crisis among German commanders and causing a severe loss of morale in the 4th Army.
- October 12
World War I
First World War: New Zealand troops suffered more than 2,000 casualties, including more than 800 deaths, in the First Battle of Passchendaele, making it the nation's largest loss of life in one day.
- October 13
Miracle of the Sun
At least 30,000 people witnessed the Miracle of the Sun in the fields of Cova da Iria near Fátima, Portugal.
- October 31
World War I
World War I: Allied forces defeated Turkish troops in Beersheba in Southern Palestine at the Battle of Beersheba, with the battle involving one of the last successful cavalry charges.
November
- November 2
Balfour Declaration
The British government issued the Balfour Declaration in support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, then an Ottoman region with a small Jewish minority.
- November 6
World War I
First World War: Canadian forces captured Passendale, Belgium, after three months of fighting against the Germans at the Battle of Passchendaele.
- November 7
World War I
World War I: British forces captured Gaza following the retreat of the Ottoman garrison.
- November 20
World War I
First World War: The Battle of Cambrai began with British forces having initial success over Germany's Hindenburg Line.
- November 25
World War I
World War I: German troops invaded Portuguese East Africa in an attempt to escape superior British forces to the north and resupply from captured Portuguese materiel.
- November 26
Eddie Livingstone
Being unable to resolve disputes with Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto Blueshirts, the other ice hockey clubs of Canada's National Hockey Association officially agreed to break away and form the National Hockey League.
December
- December 6
TNT
A ship carrying TNT and picric acid in Halifax Harbour, Canada, caught fire after a collision and caused one of the largest accidental explosions in history (pictured).
- December 6
World War I
World War I: USS Jacob Jones became the first American destroyer to be sunk by enemy action when it was torpedoed by German submarine SM U-53.
- December 9
World War I
First World War: Hussein al-Husayni, the Ottoman mayor of Jerusalem, surrendered the city to British forces (pictured).
Questions about 1917
What happened in 1917?
This site records 38 entries for 1917, including World War I on January 9. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1917?
109 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1917 turns 109 this year.
Which century is 1917 in?
1917 falls in the 20th century, in the 1910s.
Which generation was born in 1917?
Greatest Generation (1901–1927). Grew up in the Depression and fought in the Second World War.
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