1. The Mayflower Compact was signed on November 17, 1620, off the coast of Massachusetts. This document established the framework for self-governance among the Puritan settlers who arrived on the Mayflower and is considered a precursor to the U.S. Constitution.
2. In 1775, the British schooner HMS Hope was captured by American forces under the command of General Richard Montgomery on November 17. This was a symbolic victory for the Continental Army during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War.
3. On November 17, 1835, Nathaniel Hawthorne published his first novel, "Fanshawe," anonymously. The novel received mixed reviews, and Hawthorne later disavowed it, rethinking it as an immature work.
4. The Great Boston Fire of 1872 started on November 17 and raged for 12 hours, destroying much of downtown Boston. The damage was estimated at $73.5 million in today's dollars.
5. On November 17, 1973, President Richard Nixon delivered his infamous "I am not a crook" speech in Florida in response to the Watergate scandal. The speech, which was meant to clarify Nixon's role in the scandal, ultimately backfired and further damaged his already-tarnished reputation.
5 Fun Facts About November 17 In Massachusetts History
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