On This Day for 4/17 - Benjamin Franklin dies, the Canada Act is proclaimed, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day April 17 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Born This Day [Nikita Khrushchev, 1960.]( [Nikita Khrushchev]( Soviet Premier [Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev]( born this day in 1894, guided the [U.S.S.R.]( (and the communist movement) out from under the shadow of former premier [Joseph Stalin]( and into closer orbit with the capitalist West. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [Canada]( 1982: Canada Act proclaimed The [Canada Act]( also known as the Constitution Act, took effect on this day in 1982, establishing certain individual rights, preserving parliamentary supremacy, and making [Canada]( a wholly independent, fully sovereign state. Explore more key moments in history for just $39.95 [Learn more >>]( [Sign up now]( for our monthly newsletter, showcasing articles hand-picked by our editors! More Events On This Day 2014: [Finland]( novelist [Gabriel García Márquez]( of the [Nobel Prize]( for Literature and widely considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century—died in Mexico City. 2003: [Finland]( Jäätteenmäki was sworn in as prime minister of [Finland]( which thereby became the second country (after [New Zealand]( to install a woman as head of both state and government. 1975: [Pol Pot]( ruling [Lon Nol]( government collapsed, and the communist forces of the [Khmer Rouge]( led by [Pol Pot]( entered [Phnom Penh]( and forcibly dispersed its citizenry into rural areas. 1961: [Fidel Castro in a Cuban telecast, May 27, 1960.]( leader [Fidel Castro]( forces repelled the [Bay of Pigs invasion]( which was led by recent Cuban exiles and financed by the U.S. government during the [Cold War](. 1956: [Cominform]( the international Communist Information Bureau founded in 1947, was disbanded as part of a Soviet program of reconciliation with [Yugoslavia](. 1951: American [baseball]( player [Mickey Mantle]( made his MLB debut, as an outfielder for the [New York Yankees](. 1895: [Shunpanrou Hall, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi prefecture, Honshu, Japan.]( [Treaty of Shimonoseki]( concluded the first [Sino-Japanese War]( which ended in China's defeat. 1790: American printer, publisher, author, inventor, scientist, and diplomat [Benjamin Franklin]( who was one of the foremost of the [Founding Fathers]( died. 1521: [Martin Luther, oil on wood by Lucas Cranach the Elder.]( Luther]( appeared before the [Diet of Worms]( to defend his ideas on [church reform](. 1194: [Richard I…]( I]( (the Lionheart) was crowned king of England for the second time, after earlier surrendering his kingdom to the Holy Roman emperor [Henry VI](. A Great Gift Idea from The Britannica Store [1768 Encyclopaedia Britannica Replica Set]( The handsome three-volume reproduction is so beautifully executed that it's almost indistinguishable from the 1768 original, right down to the natural age spots and watermarks on the pages. A must-have for collectors of history or vintage books, the set lends an unmistakable air of prestige to any home or office. [Get yours today]( Our Best-Selling Software! the world's most trusted and authoritative information for [only $39.95](. Britannica on Facebook a fan]( on Facebook and get updated Britannica content in your news feed! Britannica on Twitter @Britannica]( and enjoy daily tweets relating to the news stories of the day! [Home]( [Advocacy for Animals]( [Newsletters]( [Feedback]( [Help]( [Delicious]( Please note that if you do not open or click on any On This Day email during any consecutive 30-day period, we reserve the right to remove your address from the active mailing list. This policy does not apply to RSS feeds. Was this message forwarded to you? [Click here]( and we'll start sending you the On This Day newsletters. This message has been sent to {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe [click here](. To unsubscribe by postal mail, send your request to: Encyclopaedia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle St. - Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60654 US ATTN: Customer Service - On This Day © 2018 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( — [Help](