1. In 1782, Juan Bautista de Anza led a group of Spanish explorers through Texas along the San Antonio River. They reached the site of present-day San Antonio on August 7, marking one of the earliest recorded expeditions into the area.

2. On August 7, 1836, the Texas Senate approved the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, which had been drafted by a constitutional convention in March of that year. The new constitution established Texas as an independent republic with a president, a bicameral legislature, and a Bill of Rights modeled after the U.S. Constitution.

3. In 1895, the East Texas town of Palestine was hit by a devastating fire. More than 50 buildings were destroyed, and the town's business district was left in ruins. The fire broke out on August 5, but continued to burn for several days, finally being brought under control on August 7.

4. On August 7, 1967, the Texas Education Agency was established as a new state agency tasked with overseeing public education in Texas. The agency replaced the State Department of Education, which had been in place since 1854, and took on a range of new responsibilities, including standards-setting, curriculum development, and teacher certification.

5. In 2008, the Texas State Board of Education voted to change the state's social studies curriculum standards, including new requirements for the teaching of history and government. The changes sparked controversy and debate, with some arguing that the new standards were politically motivated and overemphasized conservative viewpoints. The new curriculum took effect on August 7, 2009.