1. On December 6, 1847, the University of Wisconsin was established. The university initially opened with just one building and a handful of students, but has since grown to become one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the country.

2. In 1942, the United States declared war on Japan following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Wisconsin played a significant role in the war effort, with many of its citizens serving in the armed forces and supporting the war in various ways.

3. On December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, officially abolishing slavery throughout the country. Wisconsin played a key role in the abolition movement, with many of its citizens actively working to end slavery in the lead-up to the Civil War.

4. In 1982, a plane carrying 61 passengers and crew crashed shortly after takeoff from Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport, killing all on board. The incident remains one of the worst aviation disasters in Wisconsin history.

5. On December 6, 1954, the first operating nuclear power plant in the world opened in Wisconsin. The Experimental Breeder Reactor I was located in Idaho, but was designed and developed by scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, which has close ties to many universities in Wisconsin.