On This Day, March 17: British Evacuate Boston Amid American Revolution On March 17, 1776, the Continental Army under General George Washington compelled British forces to withdraw from Boston, marking a pivotal moment in the American Revolution. This event is commemorated annually in Boston through Evacuation Day celebrations, which often coincide with St. Patrick’s Day parades. The historic evacuation was depicted in the 1911 painting The Evacuation of Boston by William James Aylward, now part of the New York Public Library’s collection. The date also holds significance in other historical contexts. In 1762, New York City held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade, honoring the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, led by Irish soldiers in the British army. A century later, in 2002, President George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. president to participate in the event, following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Elsewhere in history, March 17 has witnessed diverse events. In 1901, 71 paintings by Vincent van Gogh were exhibited in Paris, sparking global art-world attention. In 1917, Russia appeared on the brink of becoming a republic after the Romanov dynasty’s 300-year rule ended. The year 1958 saw the U.S. Navy launch Vanguard 1, the first satellite placed in Earth orbit. In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India, a move that reshaped regional politics. The date also marked the election of Golda Meir as Israel’s first female prime minister in 1969, following her career as a Milwaukee schoolteacher. In 1974, Arab oil-producing nations lifted a five-month embargo on U.S. petroleum, ending a period of soaring gasoline prices linked to the 1973 Middle East War.#st_patrick_day_parade #george_washington #american_revolution #new_york_public_library #victor_van_gogh
