1. On May 17, 1775, New Jersey's delegation voted to support the Continental Congress's decision to form a Continental Army to fight against the British. This vote was crucial to the formation of the army that would ultimately win the Revolutionary War.

2. The first successful steamboat journey in American history occurred on May 17, 1807, when Robert Fulton's steamboat, the Clermont, traveled from New York City to Albany, New York, passing through New Jersey on the way. Fulton's steamboat helped revolutionize transportation and commerce in America.

3. On May 17, 1875, the first Kentucky Derby winner bred in New Jersey, Aristides, won the race. This victory helped solidify the reputation of New Jersey's breeding industry, which was already well-known for producing top-quality horses.

4. In 1949, New Jersey's first major shopping center, the Bergen Mall, opened in Paramus on May 17. Also known as "America's First Mall," the Bergen Mall was a revolutionary concept in retail and set the standard for shopping centers across the country.

5. On May 17, 2004, New Jersey became the first state in the U.S. to abolish the death penalty since it was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976. The decision was part of a nationwide trend away from capital punishment and reflected changing attitudes towards criminal justice in the United States.