1. In 1776, Thomas Paine's revolutionary pamphlet "American Crisis" was first published in Trenton, New Jersey. This influential work, which famously began with the words "These are the times that try men's souls," rallied support for the American Revolutionary War.

2. The first official U.S. military balloon flight took place on December 19, 1783, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The balloon, piloted by Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries, traveled from New Jersey to New York City, marking a new era in aviation and military reconnaissance.

3. On December 19, 1843, the first iron-hulled steamship built in the United States, the SS Princeton, was launched from the shipyard of John Ericsson in Green Point, New Jersey. The Princeton was notable for its innovative design, including a double-ended engine and propeller, and four retractable guns.

4. The famous American poet Emily Dickinson was born on December 19, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Although she did not live in New Jersey, Dickinson's work has been celebrated by many critics and scholars in the state.

5. On December 19, 1915, the first transcontinental telephone call was made between New York City and San Francisco. The historic call was initiated by Alexander Graham Bell in New York and completed by his former assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in San Francisco. The call marked a major milestone in the development of the telephone and modern communication.