So you want to have a drink but you aren't sure why? Here are some GREAT reasons to call your friends over and have a party.

November 17th


- Earliest day on which National Survivors of Suicide Day can fall, while November 23 is the latest; celebrated on Saturday before Thanksgiving. (United States)
- Christian Feast Day
- International Students' Day (International)
- Polytechneio or ??????????? (Greece)
- Shogi Day, formerly celebrated on the 17th day of Kannazuki (Japan)
- Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (Czech Republic and Slovakia)

November 17th


- 2004 - Kmart Corp. announces that it is buying Sears, Roebuck and Co. for $11 billion USD and naming the newly merged company Sears Holdings Corporation.
- 2000 - A catastrophic landslide in Log pod Mangartom, Slovenia, kills 7, and causes millions of SIT of damage. It is one of the worst catastrophes in Slovenia in the past 100 years.
- 2000 - Alberto Fujimori is removed from office as president of Peru.
- 1997 - In Luxor, Egypt, 62 people are killed by 6 Islamic militants outside the Temple of Hatshepsut, known as Luxor massacre (The police then kill the assailants).
- 1990 - Fugendake, part of the Mount Unzen volcanic complex, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan becomes active again and erupts.
- 1989 - Cold War: Velvet Revolution begins: In Czechoslovakia, a student demonstration in Prague is quelled by riot police. This sparks an uprising aimed at overthrowing the communist government (it succeeds on December 29).
- 1983 - The Zapatista Army of National Liberation is founded.
- 1982 - Duk Koo Kim dies unexpectedly from injuries sustained during a 14-round match against Ray Mancini in Las Vegas, Nevada, prompting reforms in the sport of boxing.
- 1979 - Brisbane Suburban Railway Electrification. The first stage from Ferny Grove to Darra is commissioned.
- 1974 - The Aliança Operário-Camponesa (Worker-Peasant Alliance) is founded in Portugal, as a front of PCP(m-l).
- 1973 - Watergate scandal: In Orlando, Florida, US President Richard Nixon tells 400 Associated Press managing editors "I am not a crook".
- 1973 - The Athens Polytechnic Uprising against the military regime ends in a bloodshed in the Greek capital.
- 1970 - Vietnam War: Lieutenant William Calley goes on trial for the My Lai massacre.
- 1970 - Luna program: The Soviet Union lands Lunokhod 1 on Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) on the Moon. This is the first roving remote-controlled robot to land on another world and is released by the orbiting Luna 17 spacecraft.
- 1970 - Douglas Engelbart receives the patent for the first computer mouse.
- 1969 - Cold War: Negotiators from the Soviet Union and the United States meet in Helsinki to begin SALT I negotiations aimed at limiting the number of strategic weapons on both sides.
- 1968 - Alexandros Panagoulis is condemned to death for attempting to assassinate Greek dictator George Papadopoulos.
- 1968 - British European Airways introduces the BAC One-Eleven into commercial service.
- 1967 - Vietnam War: Acting on optimistic reports that he had been given on November 13, US President Lyndon B. Johnson tells the nation that, while much remained to be done, "We are inflicting greater losses than we're taking...We are making progress."
- 1962 - President John F. Kennedy dedicates Dulles International Airport, serving the Washington, D.C. region.
- 1957 - G-AOHP of British European Airways crashes at Ballerup after the failure of three engines on approach to Copenhagen Airport. The cause was a malfunction of the anti-icing system on the aircraft.
- 1953 - The remaining human inhabitants of the Blasket Islands, Kerry, Ireland are evacuated to the mainland.
- 1950 - Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is enthroned as the leader of Tibet at the age of fifteen.
- 1947 - The U.S. Screen Actors Guild implements an anti-Communist loyalty oath.
- 1947 - American scientists John Bardeen and Walter Brattain observe the basic principles of the transistor, a key element for the electronics revolution of the 20th Century.
- 1939 - Nine Czech students are executed as a response to anti-Nazi demonstrations prompted by the death of Jan Opletal. In addition, all Czech universities are shut down and over 1200 Czech students sent to concentration camps. Since this event, International Students' Day is celebrated in many countries, especially in the Czech Republic.
- 1933 - United States recognizes Soviet Union.
- 1922 - Former Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI goes into exile in Italy.
- 1919 - King George V of the United Kingdom proclaims Armistice Day (later Remembrance Day). The idea is first suggested by Edward George Honey.
- 1911 - The Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the first African-American fraternity at an historically black college or university, is founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
- 1905 - The Eulsa Treaty is signed between Japan and Korea.
- 1903 - The Russian Social Democratic Labor Party splits into two groups; the Bolsheviks (Russian for "majority") and Mensheviks (Russian for "minority").
- 1878 - First assassination attempt against Umberto I of Italy.
- 1876 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Slavonic March is given its première performance in Moscow.
- 1871 - The National Rifle Association is granted a charter by the state of New York.
- 1869 - In Egypt, the Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, is inaugurated.
- 1863 - American Civil War: Siege of Knoxville begins – Confederate forces led by General James Longstreet place Knoxville, Tennessee under siege.
- 1858 - Modified Julian Day zero.
- 1856 - American Old West: On the Sonoita River in present-day southern Arizona, the United States Army establishes Fort Buchanan in order to help control new land acquired in the Gadsden Purchase.
- 1855 - David Livingstone becomes the first European to see the Victoria Falls in what is now present-day Zambia-Zimbabwe.
- 1831 - Ecuador and Venezuela are separated from Greater Colombia.
- 1827 - The Delta Phi fraternity, America's oldest continuous social fraternity, is founded at Union College in Schenectady, New York.
- 1820 - Captain Nathaniel Palmer becomes the first American to see Antarctica (the Palmer Peninsula is later named after him).
- 1812 - Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Krasnoi.
- 1811 - José Miguel Carrera, Chilean founding father, is sworn in as President of the executive Junta of the government of Chile.
- 1800 - The United States Congress holds its first session in Washington, D.C.
- 1796 - Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Arcole – French forces defeat the Austrians in Italy.
- 1777 - Articles of Confederation are submitted to the states for ratification.
- 1659 - The Peace of the Pyrenees is signed between France and Spain.
- 1603 - English explorer, writer and courtier Sir Walter Raleigh goes on trial for treason.
- 1558 - Elizabethan era begins: Queen Mary I of England dies and is succeeded by her half-sister Elizabeth I of England.
- 1511 - Spain and England ally against France.
- 1292 - (O.S.) John Balliol becomes King of Scotland.
- 1183 - The Battle of Mizushima.
- 473 - The future Leo II is named associate emperor by Leo I.
- 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers.

November 17th


- 1994 - Raquel Castro, American actress
- 1992 - Darian Weiss, American actor
- 1990 - Shanica Knowles, American actress
- 1987 - Gemma Spofforth, British swimmer
- 1986 - Nani, Portugease Football player
- 1984 - Park Han-byul, South Korean actress
- 1983 - Yiannis Bourousis, Greek basketball player
- 1983 - Ryan Braun, American baseball player
- 1983 - Trevor Crowe, American baseball player
- 1983 - Scott Moore, American baseball player
- 1983 - Nick Markakis, American baseball player
- 1983 - Harry Lloyd, English actor
- 1983 - Christopher Paolini, American novelist
- 1982 - Katie Feenstra, American basketball player
- 1982 - Lucy Durack, Australian Singer/Performer
- 1982 - Yusuf Pathan, Indian cricketer
- 1982 - Hollie Smith, New Zealand singer
- 1981 - Sarah Harding, English singer (Girls Aloud)
- 1980 - Brad Bradley, American professional wrestler
- 1980 - Isaac Hanson, American musician (Hanson)
- 1980 - Mercedes Martinez, American professional wrestler
- 1979 - Matthew Spring, English footballer
- 1978 - Glen Air, Former Rugby League player for London Broncos
- 1978 - Zoë Bell, New Zealand actress-stuntwoman
- 1978 - Reggie Wayne, American football player
- 1978 - Rachel McAdams, Canadian actress
- 1977 - Paul Shepherd, English footballer
- 1977 - Ryk Neethling, South African swimmer
- 1976 - Diane Neal, American actress
- 1976 - Brandon Call, American actor
- 1975 - Lord Infamous, Rapper
- 1975 - Roland de Marigny, South African-born Italian rugby player
- 1975 - Jerome James, American basketball player
- 1974 - Leslie Bibb, American actress
- 1974 - Berto Romero, Spanish humorist
- 1973 - Andreas "Vintersorg" Hedlund, Swedish singer (Vintersorg)
- 1973 - Eli Marrero, American baseball player
- 1973 - Bernd Schneider, German footballer
- 1973 - Alexei Urmanov, Russian figure skater
- 1972 - Leonard Roberts, American actor
- 1972 - Joanne Goode, English badminton player
- 1972 - Kimya Dawson, American singer
- 1970 - Paul Allender, British guitarist (Cradle of Filth)
- 1969 - Jean-Michel Saive, Belgian table tennis player
- 1969 - Ryotaro Okiayu, Japanese voice actor
- 1969 - Rebecca Walker, American feminist writer
- 1968 - Amber Michaels, German pornographic actress
- 1968 - Sean Miller, American basketball coach
- 1966 - Jeff Buckley, American musician (d. 1997)
- 1966 - Sophie Marceau, French actress
- 1966 - Daisy Fuentes, Cuban model and actress
- 1966 - Kate Ceberano, Australian singer
- 1966 - Richard Fortus, American guitarist (Guns N' Roses)
- 1965 - Amanda Brown, Australian musician (The Go-Betweens) and composer
- 1964 - Ralph Garman, American actor and radio personality
- 1964 - Mitch Williams, Baseball player
- 1964 - Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations
- 1963 - Randy Black, Canadian drummer (Annihilator)
- 1962 - Dédé Fortin, Canadian singer (Les Colocs) (d. 2000)
- 1961 - Robert Stethem, U.S. Navy Seabee diver murdered by terrorists on TWA Flight 847 (d. 1985)
- 1960 - Michael Hertwig, German footballer
- 1960 - Jonathan Ross, British TV presenter
- 1960 - RuPaul, American drag entertainer
- 1960 - Mandy Yachad, former South African cricketer
- 1959 - Terry Fenwick, English footballer
- 1958 - Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, American actress
- 1957 - Debbie Thrower, news reader
- 1956 - Graham Jones, British author and psychologist
- 1955 - Dennis Maruk, Canadian hockey player
- 1955 - Yolanda King, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. (d. 2007)
- 1954 - Mark Brandon Read, Australian criminal
- 1953 - Babis Tennes, Greek football manager
- 1952 - Ties Kruize, Dutch field hockey player
- 1951 - Stephen Root, American actor
- 1951 - Dean Paul Martin, American singer and actor (d. 1987)
- 1951 - Butch Davis, American football coach
- 1950 - Tom Walkinshaw, Scottish race car driver and race team owner
- 1949 - John Boehner, American politician
- 1949 - Nguy?n T?n D?ng, Prime Minister of Vietnam
- 1948 - Howard Dean, American politician
- 1948 - East Bay Ray, American musician
- 1947 - Steven E. de Souza, American scriptwriter
- 1947 - Inky Mark, Canadian politician
- 1946 - Terry E. Branstad, Governor of Iowa
- 1946 - Martin Barre, English rock musician (Jethro Tull)
- 1945 - Elvin Hayes, American basketball player
- 1945 - Roland Joffé, Anglo-French film director
- 1944 - Jim Boeheim, Hall of Fame basketball coach
- 1944 - Danny DeVito, American actor
- 1944 - Rem Koolhaas, Dutch architect
- 1944 - Lorne Michaels, Canadian producer
- 1944 - Tom Seaver, Baseball player
- 1944 - Gene Clark, American singer and songwriter (The Byrds) (d. 1991)
- 1943 - Lauren Hutton, American actress
- 1942 - Martin Scorsese, American film director
- 1942 - Kang Kek Iew, Cambodian politician and criminal
- 1940 - Luke Kelly, Irish folk music singer and banjo player (d. 1984)
- 1939 - Auberon Waugh, British author (d. 2001)
- 1938 - Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian singer
- 1937 - Peter Cook, British comedian (d. 1995)
- 1936 - Dahlia Ravikovitch, Israeli poet (d. 2005)
- 1935 - Bobby Joe Conrad, American football player
- 1935 - Toni Sailer, Austrian skier (d. 2009)
- 1934 - Fenella Fielding, English actress
- 1934 - Jim Inhofe, American politician, senior senator from Oklahoma
- 1933 - Orlando Peña, Cuban baseball player
- 1930 - Bob Mathias, American decathlete (d. 2006)
- 1929 - Norm Zauchin, baseball player (d. 1999)
- 1928 - Rance Howard, American actor
- 1927 - Robert Brown, American actor
- 1927 - Robert Drasnin, American musician and composer
- 1925 - Rock Hudson, American actor (d. 1985)
- 1925 - Charles Mackerras, Australian-born conductor (d. 2010)
- 1923 - Hubertus Brandenburg, Roman Catholic Bishop of Stockholm (d. 2009)
- 1923 - Mike Garcia, American baseball player (d. 1986)
- 1923 - Aristides Pereira, 1st President of Cape Verde
- 1923 - Bert Sutcliffe, New Zealand cricketer (d. 2001)
- 1922 - Stanley Cohen, American biochemist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- 1921 - Albert Bertelsen, Danish painter
- 1920 - Camillo Felgen, Luxembourgish singer (d. 2005)
- 1916 - Shelby Foote, American historian (d. 2005)
- 1911 - Christian Fouchet, French diplomat (d. 1974)
- 1907 - Israel Regardie, Aleister Crowley's secretary (d. 1985)
- 1906 - Soichiro Honda, Japanese automobile pioneer (d. 1992)
- 1906 - Rollie Stiles, American baseball player (d. 2007)
- 1905 - Queen Astrid of the Belgians (d. 1935)
- 1905 - Mischa Auer, American actor (d. 1967)
- 1904 - Isamu Noguchi, American sculptor (d. 1988)
- 1902 - Eugene Wigner, Hungarian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1995)
- 1901 - Walter Hallstein, German politician (d. 1982)
- 1901 - Lee Strasberg, Austrian director (d. 1982)
- 1899 - Douglas Shearer, Canadian film sound engineer (d. 1971)
- 1897 - Frank Fay, American actor (d. 1961)
- 1896 - Lev Vygotsky, Russian psychologist (d. 1934)
- 1895 - Mikhail Bakhtin, Russian philosopher (d. 1975)
- 1895 - Gregorio López y Fuentes, Mexican author (d. 1966)
- 1894 - Richard Nikolaus Graf Coudenhove-Kalergi, Austrian politician (d. 1972)
- 1887 - Bernard Montgomery, British World War II commander (d. 1976)
- 1878 - Grace Abbott, American social worker (d. 1939)
- 1878 - Lise Meitner, Austrian physicist (d. 1968)
- 1877 - Frank Calder, the first NHL President (d. 1943)
- 1868 - Korbinian Brodmann, German neurologist (d. 1918)
- 1866 - Voltairine de Cleyre, American anarchist (d. 1912)
- 1857 - Joseph Babi?ski, Polish-French neurologist (d. 1932)
- 1854 - Hubert Lyautey, French general (d. 1934)
- 1835 - Andrew L. Harris, governor of Ohio (d. 1915)
- 1827 - Petko Slavejkov, Bulgarian writer (d. 1895)
- 1816 - August Wilhelm Ambros, Austrian composer (d. 1876)
- 1799 - Titian Peale, American artist (d. 1885)
- 1793 - Charles Lock Eastlake, British painter (d. 1865)
- 1790 - August Ferdinand Möbius, German mathematician (d. 1868)
- 1765 - Étienne-Jacques-Joseph-Alexandre MacDonald, French marshal (d. 1840)
- 1755 - Louis XVIII of France (d. 1824)
- 1749 - Nicolas Appert, French inventor (d. 1841)
- 1729 - Maria Antonietta of Spain, queen of Sardinia (d. 1785)
- 1685 - Pierre Gaultier, French-Canadian trader and explorer (d. 1749)
- 1681 - Pierre François le Courayer, French theologian (d. 1776)
- 1612 - Dorgon, Manchu prince (d. 1650)
- 1587 - Joost van den Vondel, Dutch poet (d. 1679)
- 1576 - Roque Gonzales, Paraguayan missionary (d. 1628)
- 1503 - Agnolo Bronzino, Italian painter (d. 1572)
- 9 - Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Roman emperor (d. 79)