1) On December 21, 1620, the Pilgrims landed in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. While this event did not take place in New York, it played a significant role in American history.
2) On December 21, 1784, the Empress of China became the first American vessel to sail to China. The ship departed from New York and was the first to establish trade between China and the United States.
3) On December 21, 1844, the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was founded in London. The organization later expanded to the United States, with the first American chapter established in Boston in 1851.
4) On December 21, 1913, the first crossword puzzle was published in the New York World newspaper. The puzzle became wildly popular and inspired the creation of numerous puzzle books and competitions.
5) On December 21, 1978, the first successful human bone marrow transplant was performed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The procedure, which treated a patient with leukemia, paved the way for future advances in bone marrow transplant surgery.