1. The Brooklyn Bridge opened on December 9, 1877, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn for the first time. The bridge, designed by John A. Roebling, was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its opening.

2. The first passenger flight to be operated by an American flagged airplane occurred on December 9, 1914. The flight was flown by Tony Jannus and carried one passenger between St. Petersburg and Tampa in Florida.

3. A massive snowstorm hit New York City on December 9, 2005, dumping over 20 inches of snow in some areas. The storm caused widespread travel disruptions and led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

4. On December 9, 1942, a fire broke out in the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston, killing 492 people. Many of the victims were from New York City, and the tragedy led to changes in fire safety regulations across the country.

5. The United Nations ratified the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide on December 9, 1948. The convention defines genocide as any of a number of acts "committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group."