1. On March 16, 1621, Samoset, a member of the Wampanoag tribe, visited the Plymouth colony and greeted them in English, which he had learned from fishermen. This meeting helped establish a relationship between the Native Americans and the English settlers.

2. On March 16, 1776, the British evacuated Boston after an 11-month siege. This event marked the end of British rule in Boston and gave the Continental Army control of an important city and port.

3. On March 16, 1839, the Amistad case, one of the most significant trials in American history, began in Connecticut. The case involved a group of enslaved Africans who rebelled against their captors on a Spanish schooner and were captured by the U.S. Navy. The trial ultimately led to their freedom and a landmark ruling on the legality of slavery in the United States.

4. On March 16, 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter was first published. The book, set in colonial Massachusetts, explores themes of sin and redemption and has become a classic of American literature.

5. On March 16, 1999, a devastating fire swept through the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Company, killing six firefighters. The tragedy had a profound impact on the Worcester community and led to changes in fire safety practices and equipment.