1. In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano arrived in what is now Lower New York Bay. He named the region "New Angoulême" in honor of Francis I, King of France's family name. This marked the first documented encounter between Europeans and Native Americans in the New York area.

2. On April 17, 1790, Benjamin Franklin passed away in Philadelphia. Although he was born in Boston, Franklin had significant ties to New York. He served as governor of the Province of New Jersey and was a prominent figure during the American Revolution. In addition, he helped organize the first volunteer fire department in New York City in 1737.

3. The USS Monitor, an ironclad warship used during the Civil War, was launched in Brooklyn on April 17, 1862. Designed by Swedish inventor John Ericcson, the ship was famously involved in the Battle of Hampton Roads against the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia. Although the Monitor sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in December 1862, its revolutionary design paved the way for modern warships.

4. On April 17, 1963, the Ford Mustang was introduced to the public at the New York World's Fair. The iconic car was designed by Lee Iacocca and quickly became a symbol of American automotive culture. Over the years, the Mustang has been featured in countless films, television shows, and songs, cementing its place in American history.

5. The first game at Shea Stadium in Queens was played on April 17, 1964. The stadium, named after William A. Shea, the lawyer who helped bring the New York Mets to the city, was home to both the Mets and the New York Jets (who later became the New York Giants). Shea Stadium hosted numerous iconic moments in sports history, including the 1969 "Miracle Mets" World Series victory and the famous "Guaranteed Rate Bowl" between the Jets and the Baltimore Colts in 1969.