1. On December 19, 1846, Iowa was admitted as the 29th state in the United States. Iowa was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase and was named after the native American tribe that inhabited the area.

2. In 1862, the Dakota War of 1862 ended. This was a conflict between the Dakota people and the United States government that took place in Minnesota and other parts of the Midwest. Many of the Dakota who were involved in the conflict were later imprisoned at Camp McClellan in Davenport, Iowa.

3. On December 19, 1885, the state Capitol building in Des Moines was destroyed by fire. The fire began in the rotunda and quickly spread, causing over $1 million in damage. The building was rebuilt and completed in 1888.

4. In 1932, the first outdoor night football game in the United States was played in Des Moines on December 19. The game was between the East and West high schools and was played at Drake Stadium. West High won the game 13-0.

5. On December 19, 1996, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that a woman could not be fired for smoking marijuana outside of work. The ruling was based on the state's medical marijuana law, which allowed patients with certain medical conditions to use the drug. The ruling was later overturned by the Iowa Legislature in 1997.