1. On December 21, 1846, Iowa was admitted as the 29th state in the United States.

2. In 1862, during the Civil War, the Battle of Black River Bridge took place in Mississippi. Several Iowa regiments participated in the battle and helped secure a Union victory.

3. On December 21, 1898, the Iowa State Capitol building was destroyed by a fire. The building, which had been completed only three years earlier, was rebuilt and still stands as an iconic landmark in Des Moines today.

4. On December 21, 1945, the Iowa Hawkeyes football team defeated the Tennessee Vols in the 1946 Rose Bowl. This was the Hawkeyes' first ever appearance in a bowl game and they went on to win 19-14.

5. In 1985, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed legislation making Iowa the first state in the nation to require seat belt use. The law took effect on December 21 of that year, and since then has saved countless lives on Iowa's roads.