1. On October 24, 1785, the 32 members of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati met in New York City for the first time. The society was created by officers who served in the Revolutionary War and was named after the Roman general Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. Its purpose was to promote loyalty and support among its members and their families.

2. In 1861, on October 24, the USS San Jacinto intercepted the British mail steamer Trent and removed two Confederate diplomats who were aboard. The incident, known as the Trent Affair, caused tensions between the United States and Great Britain as the British government demanded the release of the diplomats.

3. On October 24, 1901, Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survive. Taylor, a 63-year-old schoolteacher from Michigan, hoped that the stunt would bring her financial prosperity, but she ultimately died penniless.

4. The opening ceremony for the Brooklyn Bridge took place on October 24, 1883. The event was attended by many dignitaries, including President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. The bridge, which spans the East River, was designed by John Augustus Roebling and was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its completion.

5. On October 24, 1929, known as Black Thursday, the stock market crashed, marking the beginning of the Great Depression. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 11%, and panic selling led to a loss of billions of dollars in stock value. The crash had far-reaching effects on the economy and caused widespread unemployment and poverty.