1. In 1774, the first bloodshed of the Revolutionary War took place in Rhode Island. The Gaspee Affair occurred when a British revenue schooner ran aground in Narragansett Bay and was attacked by colonists who burned the ship.

2. On September 5, 1877, Providence hosted the first game of the first professional baseball league - the International League. The Providence Grays defeated the Worcester Ruby Legs 6-0.

3. The Newport Jazz Festival, one of the oldest and most prestigious jazz festivals in the world, has been held annually in Rhode Island since 1954. The 1973 festival, held on September 5, featured performances by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Dizzy Gillespie.

4. On September 5, 1882, the first Labor Day parade was held in New York City. The holiday, which honors the contributions of American workers, was proposed by Rhode Island native Peter J. McGuire, a carpenter and secretary of the Central Labor Union.

5. Rhode Island is home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, located in Newport. On September 5, 1987, Ivan Lendl defeated Mats Wilander at the US Open to become the first Czechoslovakian player to win a Grand Slam singles title. Lendl was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.