1. On November 24, 1818, the University of Michigan was established in Detroit. It was the first university in the state and one of the first public universities in the United States.

2. In 1859, the first iron-hulled steamship, named the "Great Eastern," arrived in Detroit's River Rouge from England. The massive vessel was over 680 feet long and weighed over 22,000 tons, making it the largest ship in the world at that time.

3. On November 24, 1909, the Detroit Free Press reported that Henry Ford had sold 10,000 Model T automobiles in a single week. The Model T would go on to become one of the most successful cars in history, and Ford would revolutionize the automotive industry with his innovative assembly-line methods.

4. The Detroit Lions played their first Thanksgiving Day football game on November 24, 1934. They beat the Chicago Bears in a close game, and the tradition of playing football on Thanksgiving Day was born.

5. On November 24, 1990, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 16-13 in a classic college football game dubbed the "Greatest Game Ever Played." The game went into overtime and was ultimately decided by a field goal, sending Michigan to the Rose Bowl and ending Ohio State's chance at a national title.