February 17, 1600: Italian philospher, alchemist, and <a href="/ce6/sci/A0813467.html">Copernican</a> theory advocate <a href="/ce6/people/A0809226.html">Giordano Bruno</a> was burned at the stake for heresy by the <a href="/ce6/society/A0825276.html">Inquisition</a>.
February 17, 1801: The electoral tie between <a href="/node/155748">Thomas Jefferson</a> and <a href="/ce6/people/A0809556.html">Aaron Burr</a> was broken by the House of Representatives who elected Jefferson president.
February 17, 1817: <a href="/node/70104">Baltimore</a> became the first U.S. city lit by gas.
February 17, 1864: The Confederate <a href="/ce6/history/A0861336.html">submarine</a> <i><a href="/askeds/9-18-00askeds.html">Hunley</a></i>, equipped with an explosive at the end of a protruding spar, rammed and sank the Union's ship <i>Housatonic</i> off the coast of <a href="/ce6/us/A0811493.html">Charleston</a>, S.C.
February 17, 1904: <a href="/ce6/people/A0840447.html">Puccini&#39;s</a> opera <i><a href="/node/2495">Madama Butterfly</a></i> premiered in Milan.
February 17, 1972: President <a href="/node/155742">Richard Nixon</a> left on his trip to <a href="/node/70469">China</a>.
February 17, 1996: <p>Chess champion <a href="/node/63595">Garry Kasparov</a> beat the IBM computer, Deep Blue, winning the six-game match.</p>
February 17, 2008: Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.
More events from This Day in History: February 17