1. On December 9, 1822, Stephen F. Austin arrived in Mexico City to request that Mexican authorities approve the colonization of Texas by American settlers. This would eventually lead to the establishment of the first Anglo-American colony in Texas.

2. During the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, a Mexican soldier named Antonio Elosua was captured by the Texan army. He would later become a prominent figure in Texas history and was appointed as the mayor of San Antonio in 1841. Elosua was born on December 9, 1807.

3. The first football game between the University of Texas and Texas A&M University was played on December 9, 1894. Texas A&M won the game 38-0.

4. On December 9, 1972, the space shuttle Enterprise was unveiled at the Rockwell International plant in California. The Enterprise was the first space shuttle orbiter and was used for approach and landing tests.

5. The Texas Book Festival was held on December 9, 2017, in Austin, Texas. The festival featured a variety of authors, including Dan Rather, Walter Isaacson, and Jenna Bush Hager. The festival is held annually in Austin and celebrates literature and literacy in Texas.