1. On January 24, 1776, the Preamble to the Massachusetts Constitution was adopted, making it the oldest functioning written constitution in the world.

2. In 1848, gold was discovered in California, sparking the California Gold Rush. Many Massachusetts residents headed west to try their luck in the gold fields.

3. On January 24, 1916, the first state fish and game department was established in Massachusetts to regulate hunting and fishing and protect wildlife.

4. In 1961, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) introduced the first-ever computer game, "Spacewar!" which was created by students in the school's Digital Equipment Corporation lab.

5. On January 24, 2003, the Boston Globe published a series of articles exposing widespread child abuse by Roman Catholic priests in the Boston Archdiocese. This led to a nationwide scandal and a wave of lawsuits against the Catholic Church.