TODAY IN HISTORY - NOVEMBER 17TH

1800 – The United States Congress holds its first session in Washington, D.C.

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.

1863 – American Civil War: Siege of Knoxville begins: Confederate forces led by General James Longstreet place Knoxville, Tennessee, under siege.

1869 – In Egypt, the Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, is inaugurated.

1871 – The National Rifle Association is granted a charter by the state of New York.

1894 – H. H. Holmes, one of the first modern serial killers, is arrested in Boston, Massachusetts.

1896 – The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League, which later became the first ice hockey league to openly trade and hire players, began play at Pittsburgh's Schenley Park Casino.

1906 – Soichiro Honda, Japanese engineer and businessman, co-founded the Honda Motor Company (d. 1991) is born.

1911 – Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, which is the first black Greek-lettered organization founded at an American historically black college or university, was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C.

1925 – Rock Hudson, American actor and singer (d. 1985) is born.

1933 – United States recognizes Soviet Union.

1942 – Martin Scorsese, American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor is bborn.

1944 – Tom Seaver, American baseball player and sportscaster is born.

1944 – Lorne Michaels, Canadian-American screenwriter and producer, created Saturday Night Live is born.

1947 – American scientists John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain observe the basic principles of the transistor, a key element for the electronics revolution of the 20th century.

1962 – President John F. Kennedy dedicates Washington Dulles International Airport, serving the Washington, D.C., region.

1967 – Vietnam War: Acting on optimistic reports that he had been given on November 13, U.S. 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."

1968 – Viewers of the Raiders–Jets football game in the eastern United States are denied the opportunity to watch its exciting finish when NBC broadcasts Heidi instead, prompting changes to sports broadcasting in the U.S.

1973 – Watergate scandal: In Orlando, Florida, U.S. President Richard Nixon tells 400 Associated Press managing editors "I am not a crook."

1978 – Rachel McAdams, Canadian actress is born.

1993 – United States House of Representatives passes a resolution to establish the North American Free Trade Agreement.

2006 – Bo Schembechler, American football player and coach (b. 1929) dies.

2013 – A rare late-season tornado outbreak strikes the Midwest. Illinois and Indiana are most affected with tornado reports as far north as lower Michigan. In all around six dozen tornadoes touch down in approximately an 11-hour time period, including seven EF3 and two EF4 tornadoes.