1. The Battle of Lexington and Concord: The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired on April 19, 1775, but it was not until September 17 of the same year that American militia and British Redcoats engaged in their first significant battle in Massachusetts. Known as the Battle of Lexington and Concord, this conflict marked the beginning of the war for American independence.

2. The Birth of John Quincy Adams: On September 17, 1787, future U.S. president John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. Adams served as the sixth president of the United States from 1825 to 1829, and is perhaps best known for his role in negotiating the Treaty of Ghent that ended the War of 1812.

3. The Boston Tea Party: On September 17, 1773, a group of American colonists disguised as Native Americans boarded three British ships and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This act of protest against British taxation policies, known as the Boston Tea Party, was a key event leading up to the American Revolution.

4. The Salem Witch Trials: In 1692, the infamous Salem Witch Trials began in Massachusetts, a series of hearings that resulted in the execution of 20 people accused of witchcraft. On September 17 of that year, five more people were convicted and sentenced to death, bringing the total number of executions to eight.

5. The Dedication of the Bunker Hill Monument: On June 17, 1775, American patriots fought a fierce battle against the British at Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Nearly 50 years later, on September 17, 1825, the Bunker Hill Monument was dedicated to honor the courage and sacrifice of those who fought in the battle. The 221-foot-tall granite obelisk is now a popular tourist destination in the Boston area.