1. In 1825, the Erie Canal was completed, linking the Great Lakes with the Hudson River and making New York City a major center of trade.

2. In 1905, the first motorized ambulance was put into service in New York City, revolutionizing the way patients were transported to hospitals.

3. In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was drafted by a committee led by New Yorker Eleanor Roosevelt.

4. In 1994, the New York Rangers retired the jersey of legendary hockey player Mark Messier, who led the team to its first Stanley Cup championship in 54 years.

5. In 2001, the New York Yankees won their fourth consecutive American League pennant, setting a new record for consecutive pennants in the modern era of baseball.