1. In 1781, American and French forces under General George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau respectively, marched through Connecticut on their way to defeat British General Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War.

2. In 1852, the first meeting of the Connecticut State Teachers Association was held in New Haven. The organization, which aimed to improve the quality of education in the state, still exists today.

3. In 1929, the Manhattan Bridge in New York City was officially opened to traffic. Connecticut residents were among the many people who played a role in the bridge's construction, which took more than seven years to complete.

4. In 1974, the Tufts University men's cross country team won the New England Championship, held that year at Wesleyan University in Middletown. The team's captain was Connecticut resident and future Olympian Bill Rodgers, who would go on to win the Boston Marathon four times.

5. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Connecticut, causing widespread damage and power outages across the state. The storm, which also affected much of the eastern United States, was one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.