1. The Battle of Princeton took place on January 3, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War. General George Washington and his troops surprised and defeated a British force, boosting morale and attracting new recruits to the Continental Army.

2. The first steam-powered ferry in the United States began service on January 3, 1812, between New York City and Hoboken, New Jersey. The ferry, named the Jersey, was designed by inventor Robert Fulton.

3. On January 3, 1924, the eight-story Woolworth Building in Camden, New Jersey was destroyed by fire. The blaze, which started in the basement, caused more than $500,000 in damages.

4. New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne signed the state's first no-fault auto insurance law on January 3, 1973. The legislation was designed to simplify and speed up the process of settling insurance claims for auto accidents.

5. The first legal same-sex civil union in the United States was performed in New Jersey on January 3, 2007. The ceremony, which took place in Camden, involved two women who had been together for more than 12 years. The civil union law in New Jersey was later replaced by legislation allowing same-sex marriage.