References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 April 30.

1917 January 2 Edward B Tylor English anthropologist, dies at 84. [1] Royal Bank of Canada takes over Québec Bank. [1] January 6 Hendrik P G Quack lawyer/economist (Bank of Netherlands), dies at 82. [1] January 8 Austria-Hungarian troops conquer Forlani Italy. [1] January 10 Buffalo Bill Cody army scout and Indian fighter, dies. [1] January 11 Guy Bolton and PG Wodehouse's "Have a Heart" premieres in New York City, New York. [1] January 16 The German minister, Arthur Zimmermann, sends a telegram through the German ambassador in Washington to the German ambassador in Mexico offering Mexico an alliance against the United States. He proposes that Mexico will be assisted in retaking Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The telegram is intercepted and decoded by British intelligence and given to President Woodrow Wilson. The telegram becomes instrumental in forming American public opinion against Germany and for entering the war as Wilson gives it to the press in March. [37] January 17 Hendrik Goeman Borgesius Dutch politician, dies at 70. [1] US pays Denmark $25 million for the Virgin Islands. [1] January 19 Silvertown Essex's ammunition factory explodes; 300 die. [1] January 29 English submarine K13 leaves Gaire Loch. [1] Evelyn Baring Earl Cromer English consul-General in Egypt, dies at 75. [1] January 30 First jazz record recorded (Dark Town Strutters Ball). [1] January 31 Germany notifies US that U-boats will attack neutral merchant ship. [1] February 1 Admiral Tirpitz announces unlimited submarine war. [1] February 3 US liner Housatonic sunk by German submarine and diplomatic relations severed. [1] February 4 Belgium Council of Flanders established. [1] February 5 US Congress overrides Wilson's veto, curtailing Asian immigration. [1] Morosco Theater opens at 217 W 45th Steet New York City (demolished 1982). [1] Paul Rubens composer, dies at 41. [1] Present Mexican constitution adopted. [1] February 6 Edouard A Drumont French anti-semite journalist, dies at 72. [1] February 10 Emile Pessard composer, dies at 73. [1] Johanna Westerdijk installed as Netherlands first female professor. [1] February 13 Joel Angel Russian musicologist/composer, dies at 48. [1] February 15 Charles A van Ophuysen Dutch orientalist, dies at 60. [1] San Francisco Public Library (Main Branch at Civic center) dedicated. [1] February 16 First synagogue in 425 years opens in Madrid. [1] February 17 Edmund Bishop English Secretary of Thomas Carlyle, dies at 70. [1] February 18 Charles E Barber US chief engraver (1879-1917), dies. [1] February 20 Ammunitions ship explodes in Archangelsk harbor, about 1,500 die. [1] Kern, Bolton and Wodehouse's musical "Oh, Boy!" premieres in New York City, New York. [1] February 21 British Mendi sinks off Isle of Wight, 627 die. [1] Train near Chirurcha Romania catches fire and explodes; 100s die. [1] February 22 German Navy torpedoes 7 Dutch ships. [1] February 23 February revolution begins in Russia. [1] February 24 German plan to get Mexican help in WWI exposed (Zimmerman telegram). [1] Russian revolution breaks out. [1] February 26 First Annual fair at Utrecht Harbor (Netherlands). [1] February 28 AP reports México and Japan will ally with Germany if US enters WWI. [1] Russian Duma sets up Provisional Committee; workers set up Soviets. [1] March 1 First federal land bank chartered. [1] March 2 Jones Act: Puerto Rico territory created, US citizenship granted. [1] March 3 US Congress passes first excess profits tax on corporations. [1] Great monarch Michael resigns after one day as czar. [1] Nicholas II, last Russian tsar, abdicates. [1] March 4 Jeannette Rankin (Representative-Republican-MT) becomes first female member ofUS Congress. [1] March 5 First jazz recording for Victor Records released. [1] March 6 Jules HPFX Vandenpeereboom premier of Belgium (1899), dies at 73. [1] March 7 First jazz record "Dixie Jazz Band One Step", recorded by Nick LaRocca Original Dixieland Jazz Band, released by RCA Victor in Camden New Jersey. [1] March 8 Ferdinand von Zeppelin Dutch count/air pioneer, dies at 78. [1] Russian revolution breaks out (in Petrograd/St Petersburg). [1] US invades Cuba for third time. [1] March 11 British troops occupy Baghdad. [1] March 12 Russian Dumas sets up Provisional Committee; workers set up Soviets. [1] Stalin, Kamenev and Muranov arrive in Saint Petersburg. [1] March 15 Nicholas II, last Russian tsar, says he will abdicate. [1] March 17 Tsar Nicolas II of Russia abdicates the throne. [1] March 19 US Supreme Court upheld 8-hour work day for railroad employees (Adamson Act). [1] March 21 First female US Navy Petty Officer is Loretta Walsh. [1] March 23 Four-day series of tornadoes kills 211 in Midwest US. [1] March 28 Jews are expelled from Tel Aviv and Jaffa by Turkish authorities. [1] Puccini's "La Rondine" premieres in Monte Carlo. [1] March 29 Fran Gerbic composer, dies at 76. [1] March 31 US purchases Danish West Indies for $25M and renames them Virgin Islands. [1] April 1 Scott Joplin ragtime composer (Sting), dies at 48. [1] April 2 Jeannette Rankin becomes first woman member of US House of Representatives. [1] President Woodrow Wilson asksUS Congress to declare war against Germany. [1] April 3 Lenin leaves Switzerland for Petrograd. [1] April 6 US declares war on Germany, enters World War I. [1] April 7 De Falla's ballet "El Sombrero de tres Picos", premieres in Madrid. [1] James Barries' "Old Lady Shows Her", premieres in London. [1] Spyridon Filiskos Samaras composer, dies at 53. [1] April 9 Battle of Arras begins. [1] Edward Thomas poet, killed in WWI. [1] Vimy Ridge France stormed by Canadian troops. [1] April 10 Munition factory explosion at Eddystone Pennsylvania, kills 133 workers. [1] April 12 Bijou Theater opens at 222 W 45th Steet New York City, New York (Demolished in 1982). [1] Domenico Scarlatti and Jean Cocteau's ballet premieres in Rome. [1] April 14 Lew [Lejzer L] Zamenhof Polish doc/linguist (Esperanto), dies at 57. [1] April 16 Lenin returns to Russia to start Bolshevik Revolution. [1] April 18 Moritz F Freiherr von Bissing Governor-General of Belgium (1914-17), dies at 73. [1] April 20 Pravda (Lenin names Russia "Free land of world"). [1] April 24 Oskar Blumenthal writer, dies. [1] May 1 José E Rodo Uruguayan writer (Motivos de proteo), dies. [1] May 3 First performance of Ernest Bloch's symphony "Israel". [1] May 4 Arabs sack Tel Aviv. [1] May 10 Atlantic ships get destroyer escorts to stop German attacks. [1] May 11 Britain grants Royal Letters Patent to New Zealand. [1] Otto Adolf Klauwell composer, dies at 66. [1] May 13 First appearance of Mary to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. [1] Ernest Bloch's "Schelomo" premieres. [1] May 18 Satie/Massine/Picasso's ballet "Parade" premieres in Paris France. [1] US passes Selective Service act. [1] May 20 Turkish Government authorizes Jews to return to Tel Aviv and Jaffa. [1] May 21 Leo Pinckney, first American drafted during WWI. [1] May 23 Dutch second Chamber okays 1908 conscription draft. [1] May 25 Leon Felix Augustin Joseph Vasseur composer, dies at 72. [1] May 27 Race riot in East Saint Louis Illinois, one black killed. [1] May 31 First jazz record released (Dark Town Strutters Ball). [1] June 5 Ten million US men begin registering for draft in WW I. [1] June 8 Walt Disney graduates from Benton High School. [1] June 12 Secret Service extends protection of president to his family. [1] June 14 General Pershing and his headquarters staff arrived in Paris during WW I. [1] June 16 First Congress of Soviets convene in Russia. [1] June 19 After WW I King George V ordered members of British royal family to. [1] June 21 Hawaiian Red Cross founded. [1] June 26 First American Expeditionary Force arrive in France during WW I. [1] July 1 Race riots in East Saint Louis Illinois (40 to 200 reported killed). [1] July 9 British warship "Vanguard" explodes at Scapa Flow killing 800. [1] July 10 Emma Goldman imprisoned for obstructing the draft. [1] July 13 Vision of Virgin Mary appeared to children of Fátima, Portugal. [1] July 17 British Royal family changes its name from Hanover to Windsor. [1] July 20 WW I draft lottery held; #258 is first drawn. [1] July 22 Alexander Kerensky becomes Russian Prime Minister. [1] M Wolf discovers asteroids #879 Ricarda, #880 Herba and #881 Athene. [1] August 1 Frank Little, IWW organizer, lynched in Butte, MT. [1] August 7 Squadron Commander E.H. Dunning dies. He was the first pilot to land his aircraft on a moving ship. [5] August 14 China declares war on Germany and Austria at start of WW I. [1] August 23 Race riot in Houston Texas (two blacks and 11 whites killed). [1] August 28 Ten suffragists arrested as they picket the White House. [1] September 3 Grover Cleveland Alexander pitches complete wins in a doubleheader. [1] September 14 Provisional government of Russia established, Republic proclaimed. [1] September 15 Russia proclaimed a republic by Alexander Kerensky. [1] October 15 Mata Hari Dutch dancer/German spy executed by firing squad in Paris. [1] October 19 Love Field opens in Dallas, Texas. [5] October 21 First Americans to see action on the front lines of WW I. [1] October 26 Birth of Felix the Cat cartoon character. [1] November 2 First US soldiers killed in combat in WW I. [1] Balfour Declaration proclaims support for a Jewish state in Palestine. [1] Lansing-Ishii Agreement; US recognizes Japan's privileges in China. [1] November 3 First class mail now costs $0.03. [1] November 5 General Pershing and US troops see action on Western Front for first time. [1] Supreme Court decision (Buchanan v Warley) strikes down Lousiville Kentucky ordinance requiring blacks and whites to live in separate areas. [1] November 6 Bolshevik revolution begins with the capture of the Winter Palace. [1] November 7 British capture Gaza Palestine from the Turks. [1] October Revolution (October 26 Old Style) in Russia, Lenin seizes power. [1] November 10 41 suffragists are arrested in front of the White House. [1] November 17 Auguste Rodin sculptor, dies in Meudon, France. [1] November 20 Ukrainian Republic declared. [1] December 1 Boys Town founded by Father Edward Flanagan, west of Omaha Nebraska. [1] December 2 Han Yong-woon, found Zen awakening at Osean Monastery Korea. [1] December 6 Finland declares independence from Russia (National Day). [1] French munitions ship Mont Blanc explodes in Halifax, kills 1,639+ and injures 9,000+. Most powerful man-made explosion to date. [1] [71.27] December 7 Leon Minkus composer, dies at 91. [1] US becomes 13th country to declare war on Austria during World War I. [1] December 9 British forces under General Allenby capture Jerusalem. [1] December 11 Thirteen black soldiers hanged for alleged participation in Houston riot. [1] German-occupied Lithuania proclaims independence from Russia. [1] December 12 Reverend Edward Flanagan founds Boys Town outside Omaha Nebraska. [1] Worst train disaster (derailment near mouth of Mount Cenis tunnel) ever (Modane France-543 French troops killed). [1] December 14 UFA, "Universal Film AG", forms in Germany. [1] December 15 Moldavian Republic declares independence from Russia. [1] December 18 Soviet regiment (Stalin/Lenin) declares Finland Independent. [1] December 20 Russian secret police in Czechoslovakia forms under Felix Dzerzjinski. [1] December 22 Flanders declares its independence, under Pieter Tack. [1] Francesca Saveria Cabrini US saint/patron of immigrant, dies at 67. [1] December 23 Three British warships come close to Holland. [1] December 25 "Why Marry", first drama to win Pulitzer Prize, premieres in New York City, New York. [1] Hirsch/Harbach's musical "Going Up" premieres in New York City, New York. [1] December 26 Federal government took over operation of American railroad for duration of WWI. [1] Louise J Gautier French poetess/daughter of Théophile G, dies at 71. [1] December 30 -32 degrees F (-36 degrees C) in Mountain City Tennessee (state record). [1] -37 degrees F (-38 degrees C) in Lewisburg West Virginia (state record). [1] December 31 Dutch Social-democratic trade union NVV counts 159,450 members. [1] Year Global mean surface temperature at lowest point since 1880, and never again (to at least 2007). [58]