1. In 1773, the Virginia House of Burgesses passed a series of resolutions protesting the British Parliament's imposition of taxes on the American colonies. These resolutions, drafted by a young Patrick Henry, included the famous phrase, "Give me liberty or give me death."

2. On December 16, 1830, the first railroad in Virginia began operation. The line ran from Petersburg to Chesterfield and was operated by the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad Company.

3. In 1857, John Brown, a radical abolitionist, was hanged in Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia) for his role in the raid on Harpers Ferry. Brown's actions and subsequent execution were widely debated across the country and helped to spark the Civil War.

4. On December 16, 1907, the Great White Fleet arrived in Hampton Roads, Virginia, completing a world tour that had lasted over a year. The fleet, consisting of 16 American battleships, was sent by President Theodore Roosevelt to demonstrate American naval power.

5. In 2005, Virginia Governor Mark Warner commuted the death sentence of death row inmate Robin Lovitt to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lovitt had been convicted of murder in 1999, but it was later discovered that crucial evidence had been destroyed, raising questions about his guilt. The case sparked national debate about the use of the death penalty.