Invented in Brooklyn

2. America's First Roller Coaster

True, America's first roller coaster ride was on a Pennsylvania mine train, but the first roller coaster built solely for amusement purposes came to fruition in 1884 thanks to a Coney Island man named LaMarcus Thompson.

3. Sweet & Low

Ever wonder how that ubiquitous pink packet of Sweet & Low got its start? It all began in a Brooklyn diner in the 1950's when Ben Eisenstadt and his wife dreamt up what would become an entirely new way for America to package foods (word is that they were the original ideators behind sugar packets).

Eisenstadt's grandson, Rich Cohen, wrote a book that tells the story of the Sweet & Low family saga: It's a highly entertaining read filled with dramatic tales of backstabbing, fortune and fame.

4. Teddy Bears

While no one knows who really produced the first teddy bear, Mary Bellis, About.com Guide to Inventors, reports on a popular Brooklyn-based tale, that the first official toy bear referred to as a "teddy bear" (named for Theodore Roosevelt) was made by Morris Michtom, a Brooklyn candy store owner.

5. Bank Credit Cards

Also by way of Mary Bellis comes this interesting fact: The bank-issued credit cards that we all use were first introduced at the Flatbush National Bank of Brooklyn in 1946. Credit goes to Brooklynite John Biggins for what would eventually become an everyday part of American life.