1. In 1781, General Benedict Arnold led a surprise attack against Groton, Connecticut during the American Revolutionary War. The attack resulted in the burning of many buildings, including the fort and garrison, and the capture of 80 American soldiers.

2. On January 5, 1839, the first recorded game of baseball played under modern rules took place in Greenwich, Connecticut. The game was played between the Knickerbocker Baseball Club of New York and a local team called the New York Nine.

3. In 1949, Connecticut became the first state in the United States to pass a law requiring all vehicles to have seat belts installed. The law went into effect on January 1, 1950.

4. On January 5, 1959, the Hartford Courant newspaper published an investigative report that helped expose and bring down the corrupt administration of Hartford Mayor Charles Parker. The report alleged that Parker and his cronies had been involved in a number of financial and political scandals.

5. In 1971, Connecticut's General Assembly passed a law allowing women to serve on juries for the first time. The law went into effect on January 1, 1973, making Connecticut one of the first states in the country to grant women this right.