250 years ago today
British Forces Evacuate Boston
On March 17, 1776, British forces under General William Howe evacuated Boston after an eleven-month siege, marking the first major American victory of the Revolutionary War. The breakthrough came when General George Washington and Colonel Henry Knox orchestrated the overnight fortification of Dorchester Heights, positioning captured artillery overlooking the city and harbor. Howe realized that holding Boston had become untenable and negotiated a quiet withdrawal, sailing his troops to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The evacuation was a massive morale boost for the Continental Army and the colonial cause, demonstrating that organized American forces could outmaneuver the world's most powerful military. March 17 remains celebrated in Boston as Evacuation Day to this day.
On the record: George Washington
This day, across time
- 45 CEEventCaesar Wins the Battle of Munda
- 180 CEEventCommodus Becomes Roman Emperor
- 180 CEDiedMarcus Aurelius
- 1337EventEdward the Black Prince Made Duke of Cornwall
- 1400EventTimur Sacks Damascus
- 1537BornToyotomi Hideyoshi
- 1776FeaturedBritish Forces Evacuate Boston
- 1777BornPatrick Brontë
- 1834BornGottlieb Daimler
- 1861EventKingdom of Italy Proclaimed
- 1919BornNat King Cole
- 1938BornRudolph Nureyev
- 1948EventTreaty of Brussels Signed
- 1950EventElement Californium Announced
- 1969EventGolda Meir Becomes Israel's First Female Prime Minister
- 1992EventSouth Africa Votes to End Apartheid
Alive in 1776
OverlapSame years; not influence
George Washingtonturned 44 this year
Adam Smithturned 53 this year
Andrew Jacksonturned 9 this year
Benjamin Franklinturned 70 this year
Catherine II of Russiaturned 47 this year
Immanuel Kantturned 52 this year
James Cookturned 48 this year
James Madisonturned 25 this year
Jane Austenturned 1 this year
John Adamsturned 41 this year
10 more figures were alive that year
On This Day in History
10 EventsCaesar Wins the Battle of Munda
Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in his final military victory, effectively ending the Roman Civil War.
Commodus Becomes Roman Emperor
Following the death of his father Marcus Aurelius, eighteen-year-old Commodus becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire, beginning a controversial reign.
Edward the Black Prince Made Duke of Cornwall
Edward the Black Prince is created Duke of Cornwall, establishing the first duchy in England — a title that has since been held by the heir apparent to the throne.
Timur Sacks Damascus
Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur (Tamerlane) captures and sacks Damascus, stripping it of its craftsmen and treasures and carrying them back to his capital Samarkand.
British Army Evacuates Boston
After George Washington fortified Dorchester Heights with captured artillery, British forces under General Howe evacuate Boston — the first major American victory of the Revolutionary War.
Kingdom of Italy Proclaimed
The unified Kingdom of Italy is officially proclaimed, with Vittorio Emanuele II as its first king, completing the Risorgimento movement that had unified the Italian peninsula.
Treaty of Brussels Signed
Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Brussels — a precursor to NATO and a cornerstone of Western collective defense.
Element Californium Announced
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley announce the creation of element 98, naming it californium — one of the transuranium elements discovered in the postwar nuclear research era.
Golda Meir Becomes Israel's First Female Prime Minister
Golda Meir is sworn in as Prime Minister of Israel, becoming the country's first — and to date only — female head of government, and one of the first women to lead a modern democracy.
South Africa Votes to End Apartheid
White South African voters approve a referendum to end apartheid by a margin of 68.7% to 31.2%, paving the way for negotiations that would lead to the first fully democratic elections in 1994.
Born on This Day
Nat King Cole
Jazz Musician & Singer
Nat King Cole was one of the most influential jazz pianists and pop vocalists of the 20th century. His velvety baritone voice produced iconic recordings including "Unforgettable" and "The Christmas Song." He became the first African American to host a nationally broadcast TV variety show in the United States.
Gottlieb Daimler
Engineer & Automobile Pioneer
German engineer Gottlieb Daimler co-founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and is considered one of the inventors of the modern automobile. Working alongside Wilhelm Maybach, he developed the high-speed petrol engine and designed some of the world's first motorcycles and motor cars. His legacy lives on in the Mercedes-Benz brand.
Rudolph Nureyev
Ballet Dancer
Rudolf Nureyev is considered one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century, renowned for his athleticism, intensity, and charisma. Born in the Soviet Union, he made a dramatic defection to the West in 1961 at Paris's Le Bourget Airport. His partnership with Margot Fonteyn became one of the most celebrated in ballet history.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Japanese Daimyō & Unifier of Japan
Toyotomi Hideyoshi rose from a peasant background to become the second "Great Unifier" of Japan, succeeding Oda Nobunaga. He enacted the sword hunt that disarmed the peasantry and launched two unsuccessful invasions of Korea. His rule bridged the turbulent Sengoku period and laid the foundation for the Edo period stability.
Patrick Brontë
Clergyman & Father of the Brontë Siblings
Irish-born Patrick Brontë was a Church of England clergyman best remembered as the father of novelists Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë, and their brother Branwell. He outlived all of his children and championed their literary ambitions. His own poetry and writings are less remembered than his enduring role in literary history.
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Marcus Aurelius
Roman Emperor & Philosopher
Marcus Aurelius died on March 17, 180 AD, after nearly two decades as Roman emperor. Known as the last of the "Five Good Emperors," his philosophical Meditations remain a cornerstone of Stoic thought.
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