- 1653 – New Amsterdam (later renamed The City of New York) is incorporated.
- 1848 – California Gold Rush: The first ship with Chinese immigrants arrives in San Francisco, California.
- 1876 – The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs of Major League Baseball is formed.
- 1887 – In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the first Groundhog Day is observed.
- 1935 – Leonarde Keeler tests the first polygraph machine.