1. 1776 - The Battle of Long Island took place, marking the first major battle of the American Revolutionary War in New York. The Americans were outnumbered and outgunned, leading to a devastating defeat.

2. 1895 - The first automobile race in the United States took place in Chicago, but it was a New Yorker, Charles Duryea, who won the race. Duryea went on to become a pioneer in the American automobile industry.

3. 1939 - The first Harlem World's Fair opened in New York. The fair was intended to showcase the achievements of African Americans and was a major cultural event for the city.

4. 1969 - The Stonewall Riots broke out in Greenwich Village, marking a turning point in the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States. The riots were sparked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in the city.

5. 2014 - The One World Trade Center officially opened in New York, becoming the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The building stands at 1,776 feet tall, a reference to the year of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence.