1. On December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights was added to the United States Constitution. This landmark document includes the first ten amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing important individual rights and freedoms such as freedom of speech and religion.

2. In 1830, the first passenger train in New York State made its debut on December 15th. The train traveled from Albany to Schenectady and marked the beginning of a new era of transportation in the state.

3. On December 15, 1939, the city of New York officially opened the Lincoln Tunnel, which connects Manhattan with Weehawken, New Jersey. The tunnel, named after President Abraham Lincoln, is over a mile long and was built to ease traffic congestion through the city.

4. December 15, 1967, marked the opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which spans the entrance to New York Harbor from Staten Island to Brooklyn. The bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its completion and remains a vital link in the city's transportation system.

5. On December 15, 2016, the New York State Assembly passed legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. The increase is being phased in gradually across the state and has been hailed as a significant step in the fight for economic justice for low-wage workers.