1. In 1821, Andrew Jackson, who had recently been appointed Governor of Florida, arrived in Pensacola to claim the territory from Spain.

2. On December 4, 1942, the German submarine U-125 sank two American tankers off the coast of Florida, marking the first time that enemy ships had attacked U.S. vessels on American soil during World War II.

3. In 1956, the University of Florida's football team won its first-ever Southeastern Conference championship by defeating Georgia Tech 29-7 in New Orleans.

4. On December 4, 1981, the City of Miami declared a state of emergency due to a wave of violent crimes that had swept the city, including several high-profile murders.

5. In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its controversial ruling in Bush v. Gore, effectively ending the disputed presidential election and awarding Florida's electoral votes to George W. Bush.