1. In 1777, the Battle of Saratoga ended with American victory, which is considered a turning point in the Revolutionary War. This victory also contributed to the support of French military intervention in the war, which greatly assisted the American cause.

2. On October 17, 1871, segregationist journalist James Jackson Kilpatrick was born in Oklahoma, but would later become a well-known commentator in Pennsylvania. He co-authored the "Southern Manifesto," which was a declaration of support for segregation in schools following the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision.

3. In 1933, Pennsylvania Governor Gifford Pinchot was ousted from office by his lieutenant governor, then re-elected a few months later in a special election. This event highlighted the tensions between the governor and state legislature, and ultimately led to a reform of Pennsylvania's constitution that limited the power of the governor.

4. On October 17, 1940, the first US Navy vessel named after Pennsylvania was launched. The USS Pennsylvania BB-38 was commissioned in 1916, and saw action in both World Wars before being decommissioned in 1946.

5. In 1979, a Penske-Ford car driven by Bobby Unser won the Pocono 500, a NASCAR race held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. This was Unser's tenth win of the season, and helped him secure his third championship in the top-level Cup series.