On This Day for December 17 - Flight of the Wright brothers, W.L. Mackenzie King is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. December 17 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY W.L. Mackenzie King READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1903 Flight of the Wright brothers READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2014: The United States and Cuba reestablished diplomatic relations that had been in abeyance for more than 50 years. [Take our quiz about the U.S. and Cuba.] 2011: North Korean ruler Kim Jong Il died; he was succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un. [ Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about Korea.] 2010: Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire after being harassed by municipal officials, giving rise to Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution and helping inspire the Arab Spring; he died from his injuries the following month. [Test your knowledge of plots and revolutions.] 1992: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed by the leaders of Mexico, Canada, and the United States ; it was replaced by the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement in 2020. [How much do you know about famous documents?] 1989: After appearing as a cartoon short, the animated television series The Simpsons debuted as a Christmas special; it became a weekly series in 1990. [ Take our quiz about The Simpsons.] 1910: American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. [How much do you know about musicians?] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1936 Francis pope 1978 Manny Pacquiao Filipino boxer and politician 1942 Muhammadu Buhari head of state of Nigeria 1874 W.L. Mackenzie King prime minister of Canada 1778 Sir Humphry Davy British chemist 1945 Chris Matthews American journalist and political commentator SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2020 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help