1. On September 24, 1789, Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, making it the first state to officially join the newly formed United States of America.

2. In 1823, the Delaware Academy was founded in Newark, Delaware. The school would later become the University of Delaware, one of the oldest and largest universities in the state.

3. On September 24, 1937, the DuPont Company introduced nylon, the first synthetic fiber. This revolutionary material would be used for a wide variety of products, from stockings to toothbrush bristles.

4. In 1991, the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a minor league baseball team based in Wilmington, Delaware, won the Carolina League championship for the first time in team history. The Blue Rocks have continued to be a popular attraction in the state, drawing thousands of fans each season.

5. On September 24, 2013, Governor Jack Markell signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Delaware, making it the 11th state in the nation to do so. The law went into effect on July 1, 2013.