1. The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum opened its doors to the public on September 14, 2012. The museum's interactive exhibits and historical artifacts offer visitors a hands-on experience of the famous protest that sparked the American Revolution.
2. On September 14, 1814, during the War of 1812, the British forces bombed and shelled Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. The sight of the American flag still flying over the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner," which later became the national anthem of the United States.
3. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), also known as "the T," was established on September 14, 1964. The T operates subway, bus, and commuter rail services in the Greater Boston area and serves millions of passengers each year.
4. On September 14, 1901, President William McKinley died from gunshot wounds sustained during an assassination attempt on September 6. Theodore Roosevelt, who had been serving as Vice President, was sworn in as the 26th President of the United States at the Wilcox Mansion in Buffalo, New York, later that day. Roosevelt had strong ties to Massachusetts, as he had attended Harvard University and served as Governor of New York while living in the Hudson Valley region.
5. The first printing of "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne was published on September 14, 1850. The novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman in 17th century Puritan Massachusetts who is forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" on her clothing as a punishment for adultery. The book has since become a classic of American literature and is still widely read and studied today.