1. On December 25, 1776, General George Washington crossed the Delaware River with his troops for a surprise attack on the Hessian troops in Trenton, New Jersey.

2. In 1818, the "Connecticut Compromise" was reached on December 25th, resulting in the establishment of the U.S. Senate based on equal representation of each state, and the House of Representatives based on population.

3. December 25, 1850, marked the centennial celebration of the founding of the city of Bridgeport. The city's first mayor, James W. Bishop, delivered a speech emphasizing the need for civic improvements.

4. On Christmas Day in 1888, the Switchback Railway opened in West Haven as the first successful roller coaster in America. It had two tracks that ran back and forth and reached a top speed of 6 mph.

5. In 1971, Litchfield County resident First Lieutenant William Calley was sentenced to life in prison for the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. His sentence was later reduced to 20 years and he was released on parole in 1974.