1. In 1782, Thomas Jefferson was elected Governor of Virginia on December 27th. Jefferson went on to become one of the most influential American Founding Fathers, authoring the Declaration of Independence and serving as the third President of the United States.

2. The Virginia General Assembly ratified the Virginia Constitution on December 27, 1970. This new constitution replaced the original 1902 version, which had been criticized for disenfranchising African Americans.

3. On December 27, 1862, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson launched a surprise attack on Union forces at the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Despite his numerical advantage, Jackson was unable to break through Union defenses and was forced to withdraw.

4. Virginia's first professional football team, the Washington Redskins, played their final regular season game at RFK Stadium on December 27, 1996. The team moved to FedEx Field in Maryland the following year.

5. December 27, 1985 marked the opening of the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which has since hosted numerous events and conferences. The center boasts over 500,000 square feet of space, including a 150,000 square foot exhibit hall and a 31,000 square foot ballroom.