1. In 1798, Connecticut became the first state to enact a law mandating vaccination against smallpox. This law allowed officials to forcibly vaccinate residents in the event of an outbreak.
2. On September 25, 1780, Benedict Arnold fled from his home in New Haven, Connecticut, after his plan to surrender West Point to the British was discovered. Arnold's betrayal remains one of the most infamous acts of treason in American history.
3. The Hartford Convention, a series of meetings held in Connecticut in late 1814, began on September 25 of that year. The convention was called in response to the War of 1812 and led to discussions about secession from the United States.
4. In 1846, Yale University hosted the first intercollegiate athletic competition in North America. On September 25 of that year, the Yale rowing team competed against the Harvard rowing team on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.
5. On September 25, 1926, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison visited Connecticut to attend the dedication of a new laboratory at the Edison Pioneers Museum in Windsor. The two famous inventors were close friends and often collaborated on projects together.