THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

Today is Thursday, April 17, the 107th day of 2014. There are 258 days left in the year.

1492 ― Christopher Columbus signs contract with Spain to find the Indies

1521 ― Martin Luther is excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church

1534 ― Sir Thomas More confined in London Tower

1865 ― Mary Surratt is arrested as a conspirator in Lincoln's assassination

1895 ― Treaty of Shimonoseki signed, ends first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)

1956 ― Kominform disbands

1969 ― The Band (formerly The Hawks), perform their first concert

1971 ― People's Republic Bangladesh forms, under sheik Mujib ur-Rahman

1983 ― Nolan Ryan strikes out his 3,500th batter

1991 ― Railroad workers go on strike in the U.S.