Top 10 Historical Anniversaries: 2017

January: the month of resolutions and good intentions. Whether it’s for work or leisure, the New Year brings a desire to self-improve but often without the know-how to do so. Do you need to enhance your creativity or develop new ideas? To help you get the creative juices flowing, why not draw your inspiration from the past? The Bridgeman archive has a range of images and footage covering a variety of anniversaries throughout 2017 and beyond. See highlights of the top ten historical anniversaries in 2017 below and visit our archival calendar for many more.
- The Russian Revolution begins. 100 years. 8th March 1917

After the military defeats in World War One, the murder of Rasputin and the failings of Tsarist Russia, one of the defining moments of 20th century world history began: the 1917 Russian Revolutions.
2. The Hindenburg Disaster 80 years. 6th May 1937

3. Amelia Earhart completes first female solo transatlantic flight.
75 years. 21st May 1932

Five years after American aviator Charles Lindbergh became the first pilot to accomplish a solo, nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, aviator Amelia Earhart became the second pilot (and first female) to do so, landing her plane in Ireland after flying across the North Atlantic.
4. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th US president, is born.
100 years. 29th May 1917

John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States (1961–1963). He was the youngest man elected to the office. His presidency involved a number of significant historical events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the establishment of the Peace Corps, the building of the Berlin Wall and the Civil Rights Movement. On November 22, 1963, JFK was assassinated, making him the youngest President to die.
5. WWI: The Battle of Messines 100 years. 7th June 1917

The Battle of Messines took place during World War One and was conducted by the British Second Army, on the Western Front in Belgian West Flanders. It has been argued that the battle was the most successful local operation of the Western Front. With the British detonating 19 mines, it was the biggest man-made explosion ever seen. The attack was a precursor to the Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendaele.
6. Mary, Queen of Scots‘ abdication 450 years. 24th July 1567

After marrying her late husband’s suspected murderer, 26 Scottish peers, turned against Mary, Queen of Scots and new husband the Earl of Bothwell, and forced her to abdicate. She was replaced by her 1-year-old son James VI.
7. WWII: The Battle of Stalingrad 75 years. 23rd August 1942

The Battle of Stalingrad took place during World War Two and was fought between Nazi Germany allies and the Soviet Union over control of the city of Stalingrad. The battle is often considered as the turning point in the war as it stopped the German advance into the Soviet Union. It was one of the bloodiest battles in history, with military and civilian casualties reaching nearly two million.
8. Sputnik, the world’s first satellite, is launched by the Soviet Union.
60 years. 4th October 1957

After successfully entering the Earth’s orbit, Sputnik 1 marked the beginning of the space age. As the first human-made object to leave the Earth’s atmosphere, Russia had the edge over the US and established their technological superiority. The successful launch of the satellite shocked the world, and caused heightened anxiety over the former Soviet Union’s intentions.
9. Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Argentine Marxist revolutionary leader, dies.
50 years. 9th October 1967

Che Guevara, a Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist, was a major figure of the Cuban Revolution. Praised and condemned, he remains one of history’s most highly regarded communists. He has become an emblem of rebellion throughout the world. After working in Bolivia to lead forces to rebel against the government of René Barrientos Ortuño, the Bolivian army captured Guevara and he was executed.
10. Martin Luther’s Ninety Five Theses begin the Protestant Reformation. 500 years. 31st October 1517

Martin Luther’s Ninety Five Theses sparked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. It called for a reform of the Catholic Church and their practices such as granting plenary indulgences.
