What Happened In 2017?
2017 was a bit of a shock to the system for many people. In the US, it was Donald Trump's first year in charge of the Presidency – and elsewhere in the world, tensions ran high as a result of continued terrorist threats and attacks, with ISIS claiming many of the horrifying attacks taking place in the West.
Still, there was a lot to remember 2017 for that was positive! Let’s take a look at some of the year’s memorable events.
In this year
January
Donald Trump was officially inaugurated as the 45th President of the USA. He only served for one term as President and was replaced by President Joe Biden. However, the switch of power was far from simple, leading to riots and criminal indictments.
February
North Korea tested and fired a ballistic missile. In doing so, the country raised tensions in the area and sparked global worry – this would be just the latest turn of events in dictator Kim Jong-Un's attempts to gain power on the world stage.
March
As part of the Brexit vote, the United Kingdom officially started plans and processes to leave the European Union (EU). They did so under Article 50, a clause in the Lisbon Treaty. Many believed that Article 50 could be revoked – however, it was then-Prime Minister Theresa May's intention to carry out the will of the people, with her slogan "Brexit Means Brexit."
April
France held its first round of the year's Presidential election. Emmanuel Macron and Marine LePen advanced as candidates, with Macron eventually taking the lead and being voted in as President of the country. As of the time of writing, he remains President of France, though has proven controversial – with his tenure leading to strikes and industrial action across the nation.
May
A suicide bombing occurred at a concert in northern England. The bombing took place during an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena. It killed 22 people and injured many others. Two weeks later, the pop star held One Love Manchester, a charity concert in response to the attack. The incident remains one of the most shocking terrorist events on British soil to date.
June
The US removed itself from the Paris Climate Agreement – or, at least, it advised its intention to do so under the leadership of Donald Trump, who had been in the role of President since January. The US would eventually rejoin the climate treaty under Joe Biden – it was one of his first acts once he took office on January 20th, 2021.
July
Actor, former footballer, and infamous public figure OJ Simpson was officially granted parole. He had served nine years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping. In 2021, he was granted an early release from his parole. This follows decades on from his original trial for the alleged murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman – he was acquitted of such charges.
August
A total solar eclipse was visible across the US on August 21st, 2017 – it received the nickname of the Great American Eclipse, visible from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The event was overshadowed (pun intended) somewhat by US President Donald Trump opting to look into the sky without due protection.
September
The Rohingya crisis escalated in Myanmar. Due to the events at the time, a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims took place as they fled to Bangladesh.
October
ISIS was finally driven out of its so-called self-declared capital, Raqqa. It was removed by US-backed forces. It was one of several major moments in the road toward quashing the terrorist organization, which would eventually lose its final territory in the Middle East in spring 2019.
November
Following military intervention, Zimbabwe's long-time President, Robert Mugabe, officially resigned. Mugabe had been an infamous dictator during his time in charge of the country with regard to human rights. He would die in September 2019, aged 95.
December
Disney completed one of the biggest media acquisitions of all time as of December 14th, as the company announced it would pay a stunning $66 billion to take onboard the majority of properties from 21st Century Fox and its 20th Studio. That meant, in perhaps one of the biggest media shakeups, the long-running animated series The Simpsons was now a Disney property.
2017 was the year of the…
…rooster!
Like 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, and 2005, 2017 saw followers of the Chinese Zodiac pay tribute to roosters all over the world. People born in the rooster years are said to be hard-working, dependable, and great leaders. However, they also tend to be a bit picky when it comes to pretty much anything, and, when provoked, they can also be aggressive! The next rooster year won't be until 2029.
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This page was last modified on January 1, 2024. Suggest an edit
Celebrity Births in 2017
Rumi and Sir Carter (Born June 13th, parents Beyoncé and Jay-Z)
Ella and Alexander Clooney (Born June 6th, parents Amal and George Clooney)
Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. (Born September 1st, parents Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian)
Nicholas and Lucy Iglesias-Kournikova (Born December, parents Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova)
Hayes Alba Warren (Born December 31st, parents Jessica Alba and Cash Warren)
Famous People We Lost in 2017
Hugh Hefner, American founder of Playboy magazine, died aged 91
Tom Petty, American musician, died aged 66
Chester Bennington, American musician, died aged 41
Chris Cornell, American musician, died aged 52
Jerry Lewis, American actor and comedian, died aged 91
