1. In 1901, New York City Mayor Robert Van Wyck broke ground for the construction of the city's first subway line, which would become the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. The subway would eventually become an integral part of the city's transportation system, connecting all five boroughs.

2. In 1945, delegates from 46 countries gathered in San Francisco for the United Nations Conference on International Organization. It was on April 25 that the charter of the United Nations was signed, establishing the organization as a global forum for promoting peace and cooperation.

3. On April 25, 1865, confederate forces surrendered to Union General William T. Sherman in Durham, North Carolina, effectively ending the Civil War. This surrender came just a few weeks after the Confederate army's surrender at Appomattox, Virginia, marking the beginning of the end for the Confederacy.

4. New York City held its first St. Patrick's Day parade on April 25, 1762, making it one of the oldest St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the world. The parade has become an annual tradition, attracting millions of tourists each year and turning the city into a sea of green.

5. In 1953, the first issue of Playboy magazine was published, featuring Marilyn Monroe on the cover. The magazine would go on to become a cultural phenomenon, promoting an image of masculine sophistication and glamour that would shape the next several decades. Although the magazine stopped publishing in 2020, its legacy continues to influence popular culture today.