In History, Today on November 17

Elizabeth I ascended to the English throne, marking the beginning of the Elizabethan Era.

English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh went on trial for treason.

The United States Congress held its first session in Washington, D.C., in the partially completed Capitol building.

The Suez Canal officially opened, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

Nine Czech students were executed as a response to anti-Nazi demonstrations, leading to the International Students' Day observance.

The Screen Actors Guild implements a voluntary loyalty oath to combat alleged communist influence in Hollywood.

The Soviet Union's Luna 17 mission successfully delivered the Lunokhod 1 rover to the Moon.

The Athens Polytechnic uprising against the Greek military junta was violently suppressed.

The Velvet Revolution began in Czechoslovakia with a student demonstration in Prague, leading to the end of communist rule.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as the 38th Governor of California.

The Occupy Wall Street movement held a day of action in New York City, marking two months since the movement began.

A Boeing 737 operated by Tatarstan Airlines crashed on landing in Kazan, Russia, killing all 50 people on board.

Protests erupted in Iran following a sudden increase in fuel prices, leading to widespread unrest and a government crackdown.

Hurricane Iota made landfall in Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane, causing widespread destruction and exacerbating the damage caused by Hurricane Eta just two weeks prior.