1997⚡ Event
Newt Gingrich Reprimanded
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to reprimand Newt Gingrich for ethics violations, making him the first Speaker of the House to be so disciplined.
politicslaw
What Happened in 1997?
Explore 198 historical moments from 1997 — 34 events, 164 birthdays, and 0 notable deaths.
Events in 1997(34)
1997⚡ Event
Madeleine Albright Sworn In
Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the first female United States Secretary of State, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government at that time.
politicslaw
1997⚡ Event
Final Fantasy VII release
Final Fantasy VII, the first game in the franchise to feature 3-D computer graphics, was released. This marked a significant advancement in video game technology.
technologyentertainmentarts
1997⚡ Event
Steve Jobs Returns to Apple
Steve Jobs returned to Apple Inc. as a consultant. This occurred after Apple's acquisition of his technology startup NeXT.
technologypolitics
1997⚡ Event
Comet Hale–Bopp Closest Approach
Comet Hale–Bopp reached its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 1.315 AU. This celestial event was a significant astronomical observation.
sciencespace
1997⚡ Event
Heaven's Gate Cult Suicide
Police discovered the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate religious group in Rancho Santa Fe, California. The deaths were ruled an apparent cult suicide.
religiondisaster
1997⚡ Event
Tragedy of Otranto
The Italian Navy vessel Sibilla collided with the Albanian civilian vessel Kateri i Radës, causing it to sink and resulting in dozens of deaths.
disaster
1997⚡ Event
Tiger Woods wins Masters Tournament
In golf, 21-year-old Tiger Woods became the youngest player to win the Masters Tournament. He broke the record for the lowest four-round score.
sportsentertainment
1997⚡ Event
Chemical Weapons Convention Enters into Force
The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force, outlawing the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. This was ratified by 87 countries.
lawwar
1997⚡ Event
Qayen Earthquake
An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 Mw struck near Qaen, Iran, on May 10, 1997, resulting in at least 1,567 deaths and leaving approximately 50,000 people homeless.
disaster
1997⚡ Event
Establishment of Sierra Gorda Biosphere
The Sierra Gorda Biosphere, which encompasses the most ecologically diverse region in Mexico, was established as a result of grassroots efforts.
politics
1997⚡ Event
Jarrell tornado
A destructive F5-rated tornado tracked through a subdivision of homes northwest of Jarrell, Texas, killing 27 people.
disaster
1997⚡ Event
Republic of the Congo Civil War
President Pascal Lissouba of the Republic of the Congo ordered the detention of his rival Denis Sassou Nguesso, initiating a civil war.
politicswar
1997⚡ Event
Radiohead Releases OK Computer
The English rock band Radiohead released their landmark third album OK Computer in the United Kingdom on June 16, 1997.
musicarts
1997⚡ Event
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Released
J. K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book, 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone', was released.
literaturearts
1997⚡ Event
Northern Ireland Unrest
Five days of unrest began in nationalist districts of Northern Ireland in response to the Drumcree conflict, part of The Troubles.
politicswar
1997⚡ Event
Princess Mononoke released
Hayao Miyazaki's animated film Princess Mononoke is released, becoming the highest-grossing film in Japan for a few months.
artsentertainment
1997⚡ Event
IRA Resumes Ceasefire
The Provisional Irish Republican Army announced it would resume its ceasefire, ending its 28-year campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland.
politicswar
1997⚡ Event
USS Constitution sails
The USS Constitution, one of the original six frigates of the United States Navy, sailed for the first time in 116 years after a complete restoration.
1997⚡ Event
One Piece manga debuts
Written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece, the best-selling manga series in history, debuted in Weekly Shōnen Jump.
artsliterature
1997⚡ Event
Sky Tower Opens in Auckland
The Sky Tower, then the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, opened in Auckland, New Zealand.
technology
1997⚡ Event
Death of Jeanne Calment
French supercentenarian Jeanne Calment died at 122 years, 164 days, holding the record for the longest confirmed human lifespan.
1997⚡ Event
Korean Air Flight 801 crash
Korean Air Flight 801 crashed into a hill on approach to Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam, killing 228 of the 254 people aboard on August 6, 1997.
disastertechnology
1997⚡ Event
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales, her partner Dodi Fayed, and their driver were killed in a car crash in Paris.
disaster
1997⚡ Event
Hurricane Erika dissipates
Hurricane Erika, the strongest and longest-lasting hurricane of the 1997 Atlantic hurricane season, dissipated on September 20, 1997, after causing flooding and power outages throughout Puerto Rico.
disaster
1997⚡ Event
Tropical Storm Linda makes landfall in Vietnam
Tropical Storm Linda made landfall in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, causing more than 3,000 deaths.
disaster
1997⚡ Event
Wei Jingsheng deported
Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng was deported to the United States on November 16, 1997, after eighteen years in prison. His release was ostensibly on medical grounds.
politics
1997⚡ Event
Luxor massacre
Sixty-two people were killed by Islamist terrorists outside the temple in Luxor, Egypt, one of the country's top tourist attractions.
disasterpolitics
1997⚡ Event
UK bans beef on the bone
Amid an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the British government banned the sale of beef on the bone for human consumption.
lawdisaster
1997⚡ Event
Pokémon episode causes seizures
"Dennō Senshi Porygon", an episode of the Japanese television series Pokémon, induced epileptic seizures in 685 children.
entertainmentdisastermedicine
1997⚡ Event
SilkAir Flight 185 crashes
SilkAir Flight 185 crashed into the Musi River in Indonesia, killing 104 people.
disasterlaw
1997⚡ Event
Titanic film released
Titanic, the fourth-highest-grossing film of all time with a worldwide total of more than US$2.2 billion, was released in the United States.
entertainmentarts
1997⚡ Event
Hussein Farrah Aidid Relinquishes Title
On December 22, 1997, Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquished the disputed title of President of Somalia.
politics
1997⚡ Event
Pioneer Helmet Public Display
The Pioneer Helmet, one of only six Anglo-Saxon helmets discovered, was first placed on public display.
Born in 1997(164)
1997🎂 Birth
Camila Cabello
Cuban-American singer-songwriter and actress Camila Cabello was born.
musicentertainmentarts
1997🎂 Birth
Birth of Cha Eun-woo
Cha Eun-woo, a South Korean singer, actor, and model, was born.
artsentertainmentmusic
1997🎂 Birth
Claire Wineland
Claire Wineland was an American activist and author who died in 2018.
literature
1997🎂 Birth
Cheung Ka Long
Cheung Ka Long is a Hong Kong foil fencer and the 2020 Olympic champion.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Birth of Latrell Mitchell
Latrell Mitchell, an Australian rugby league player, was born.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Birth of James Marriott
James Marriott, an English musician and online content creator, was born.
musicentertainment
1997🎂 Birth
Benjamin Ingrosso
Swedish singer and songwriter Benjamin Ingrosso was born on September 14, 1997.
musicentertainment
1997🎂 Birth
Quin Houff
Quin Houff, an American professional stock car racing driver, was born.
sportsentertainment
1997🎂 Birth
Jaiden Animations
Jaiden Animations, American YouTuber and animator, was born.
entertainment
1997🎂 Birth
Rhenzy Feliz
Rhenzy Feliz, an American actor and singer, was born on October 26, 1997.
entertainmentmusic
1997🎂 Birth
Stetson Bennett
Stetson Bennett, an American football player, was born on this date.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Tage Thompson
American ice hockey player Tage Thompson was born on October 30, 1997.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Dennis Smith Jr.
American basketball player Dennis Smith Jr. was born. He plays as a point guard.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Sabrina Ionescu
American basketball player Sabrina Ionescu was born on December 6, 1997.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Vachirawit Chivaaree
Vachirawit Chivaaree, Thai actor and singer, was born.
entertainmentmusic
Deaths in 1997(0)
No deaths recorded for 1997.
Dates in 1997
January 7January 13January 21January 23January 25January 29January 31February 1February 5February 7February 8February 14February 15February 17February 22February 23February 26March 3March 7March 8March 11March 16March 17March 18March 22March 23March 26March 28March 30April 1April 3April 5April 7April 10April 13April 14April 20April 24April 26April 28April 29May 2May 3May 10May 14May 19May 20May 21May 26May 27May 30May 31June 5June 7June 8June 10June 15June 16June 17June 18June 20June 26June 27June 28June 30July 3July 6July 7July 8July 11July 12July 14July 15July 17July 18July 19July 20July 22August 2August 3August 4August 6August 11August 14August 16August 20August 22August 23August 24August 31September 2September 7September 11September 12September 14September 15September 17September 20September 23September 24September 27October 4October 5October 9October 12October 16October 17October 22October 24October 26October 27October 28October 30November 2November 6November 14November 15November 16November 17November 18November 19November 20November 25November 28November 29December 1December 6December 9December 10December 11December 12December 14December 15December 16December 19December 20December 21December 22December 23December 24December 26December 27
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened in 1997?
- 1997 saw 198 notable historical moments, including 34 events, 164 famous birthdays, and 0 notable deaths.
- What were the biggest events of 1997?
- Key events of 1997 include: Newt Gingrich Reprimanded, Madeleine Albright Sworn In, Final Fantasy VII release.
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