1717 Facts for Kids

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	17th century – 18th century – 19th century
Decades:	1680s 1690s 1700s – 1710s – 1720s 1730s 1740s
Years:	1714 1715 1716 – 1717 – 1718 1719 1720

The year 1717 was a time of many important events around the world. New agreements were made between countries, big storms hit, and new ideas and groups started. There were also changes in royal families and the founding of new cities.

Important Events
Important Births
Images for kids
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Important Events

New Agreements Between Countries

On January 4, the Netherlands, Britain, and France signed the Triple Alliance. This was an important agreement between these three powerful countries.

Big Weather Events

From February 26 to March 6, a series of huge snowstorms, called blizzards, hit what is now the northeastern United States. The snow was so deep that it stopped everything in the region.
On December 24 and December 25, a terrible storm flood hit the coast of the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Denmark. Thousands of people died or lost their homes because of the rising water.

Arts and Culture

On March 2, the dancer John Weaver performed in the very first ballet ever shown in Britain. It was called The Loves of Mars and Venus and was performed at Drury Lane in London.
The famous writer Voltaire was sent to the Bastille prison for a year. This happened because of the funny but critical things he wrote about powerful people.

New Groups and Ideas

On March 31, Bishop Benjamin Hoadly started a big argument known as the Bangorian Controversy. He said that God preferred churches that were not controlled by the government, which was a new idea at the time.
On June 24, a new branch of Freemasonry was started in London. This group, called the Premier Grand Lodge of England, was a social organization with secret traditions.
In September, the first known ceremony for a group called the Druids took place at Primrose Hill in London. This event, led by John Toland, helped start the Mother Grove, which later became the Ancient Order of Druids.

Changes in the World

Spain brought together its colonies in South America to form a new, larger colony called New Grenada. This included parts of what are now Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.
The city of Montevideo in Uruguay was founded by the Portuguese.
A big disagreement happened between George I of Great Britain, who was the King, and his son, the Prince of Wales. This argument was so serious that the Prince of Wales was asked to leave the royal household.