1. The Battle of Tom's River: On July 13, 1782, British and Loyalist soldiers landed on the shores of New Jersey at Tom's River. They were met by American forces and engaged in a battle that lasted for several hours. Ultimately, the Americans were forced to retreat, but the battle marked one of the last military actions of the Revolutionary War in the state.

2. The First American Automobile Race: On July 13, 1895, the first automobile race in the United States was held in New Jersey. The race, which took place in the community of Elizabeth, covered a distance of 54 miles and was won by Charles Duryea in his motorized buggy.

3. The Camden 28 Trial: On July 13, 1971, the trial of the "Camden 28" began in New Jersey. The group of anti-war activists had been arrested the previous year for breaking into a local draft board office and destroying draft records. The trial became a cause célèbre and heightened public scrutiny of the Vietnam War.

4. James Gandolfini's Death: On July 13, 2013, actor James Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Rome, Italy. The New Jersey native was best known for his role as mob boss Tony Soprano in the hit TV series The Sopranos.

5. The Trenton Six: On July 13, 1948, six African-American men were convicted of the murder of a white shopkeeper in Trenton, New Jersey. The "Trenton Six" case was marked by allegations of police coercion and racism, and became a cause célèbre for civil rights activists. The convictions were eventually overturned in 1952.