1. On August 18, 1965, Hurricane Betsy made landfall in Louisiana, causing extensive damage and claiming dozens of lives. The storm was one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes to hit the United States at the time.

2. The Louisiana Purchase was formally completed on August 18, 1803, when the U.S. flag was raised over the city of New Orleans. The acquisition of the Louisiana Territory doubled the size of the country and opened up vast new territories to settlement and exploration.

3. Louisiana was admitted to the Union as the 18th state on April 30, 1812, but it was not until August 18 of that year that the state flag was officially adopted. The flag features a pelican feeding her young with her own blood, symbolizing sacrifice and nurturing.

4. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting women the right to vote. Louisiana was one of several states that had not yet ratified the amendment at the time, but ultimately did so on June 11, 1970.

5. August 18, 1973, marked the start of the Angola Prison strike, in which the majority of inmates at the Louisiana State Penitentiary refused to work, citing poor conditions and abuse by prison officials. The strike lasted for several days and led to widespread changes in the state's prison system.