1. In 1607, Captain John Smith and his group of English settlers arrived at the Chesapeake Bay, marking the beginning of English colonization in Virginia.
2. In 1781, the Battle of Cowpens took place in South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War, in which Virginia troops played a significant role in securing victory for the Continental Army.
3. In 1862, Confederate forces under General Stonewall Jackson forced Union troops to retreat during the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou in Mississippi, which had a significant impact on the Confederate Army's fortunes during the Civil War.
4. In 1901, the Virginia General Assembly met for the first time in the newly completed Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond, which remains the seat of the state government to this day.
5. In 1992, Michael Vick, a future star quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies and Atlanta Falcons, led his team to victory in the Pizza Hut Bowl over the University of Louisville, marking a milestone in his football career.