New York City

George Washington's first inauguration as the first President of the United States took place on April 30, 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City. This event marked the beginning of Washington's presidency and reflected the establishment of the new nation's government under the United States Constitution. Washington, greatly revered as a leader, set many precedents during his presidency that continue to influence the office today.

The Great New York City Fire of 1845 started before dawn on December 7, 1845, and resulted in the destruction of 345 buildings in lower Manhattan. The fire had many casualties, but it led to significant advancements in fire safety and building regulations, setting a precedent for fire codes in the city. Reforms following the event included adoption of necessary fire safeguards and stimulated the city's growing fire insurance industry.

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the gay community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in New York City's Greenwich Village. They are widely considered to constitute the most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.

The New York City blackout of 1977 was a power outage that plunged the city into darkness for 25 hours from July 13 to July 14. The blackout resulted in widespread looting and arson, with 1,616 stores damaged, 1,037 fires set, and more than 3,000 arrests. This tumultuous event was exacerbated by an economic crisis, and the tension and disorder that erupted during the blackout led to examination and reform of the city's emergency response protocols.

On September 11, 2001, a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda were carried out against the United States. Four passenger airliners operated by two major US passenger air carriers (United Airlines and American Airlines) were hijacked and flown into significant buildings, including the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, leading to the collapse of the towers and significant loss of life and impact on the world.

On August 14, 2003, a widespread power outage occurred throughout parts of the Northeastern United States and Canada, including New York City. The blackout, which lasted up to two days for some areas, affected approximately 45 million people in eight U.S. states and 10 million in Ontario and cost between $6 billion to $10 billion. It highlighted vulnerabilities in the power grid and led to significant reforms in electrical infrastructure management.

On September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers, a massive financial services firm based in New York City, filed for bankruptcy. This event was a critical precursor to the global financial crisis of 2007-2008. It represented the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history and precipitated a severe impact on financial markets worldwide. Lehman's collapse highlighted significant vulnerabilities in the financial sector, leading to widespread regulatory reforms aimed at preventing a similar crisis in the future.

On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing in the Hudson River after striking a flock of geese just three minutes into its ascent from LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The skillful actions of the flight crew, led by Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, resulted in all 155 passengers and crew surviving without major injuries. The incident received widespread media attention and is celebrated as an outstanding example of successful emergency management in aviation.

Hurricane Sandy was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane of late October 2012. It was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, as measured by diameter, with a wind span of 1,150 miles. Sandy struck New York City, causing immense destruction, flooding much of the city's subway system, streets, and infrastructure, and leaving many without power. It led to a significant rethinking of coastal infrastructure planning in NYC.

On July 25, 2015, New York celebrated after the U.S. Supreme Court officially upheld the right for same-sex couples to marry in all 50 states, including New York. This was a landmark victory for LGBTQ+ rights, building on years of advocacy and previous state-level legalization of same-sex marriage in New York, which had been a crucial battleground state for such rights. Celebrations were held across the city, marking a pivotal moment in civil rights history.