1. On February 22, 1836, the Battle of San Jacinto began. This decisive battle, fought near present-day Houston, marked the end of the Texas Revolution and resulted in Texas gaining its independence from Mexico.

2. On February 22, 1846, a group of Texas Rangers under the command of Captain John Coffee Hays defeated a larger force of Comanche warriors at the Battle of Walker's Creek. The battle was significant in that it marked one of the first times that Texas Rangers were successful in a battle against the powerful Comanche tribe.

3. The University of Texas at Austin was founded on February 22, 1883, by the state legislature. The university today is one of the largest and most prestigious in the nation.

4. On February 22, 1908, the first staked oil well in Texas was completed in Corsicana. The successful drilling led to a boom in the Texas oil industry and helped establish the state as an oil-producing powerhouse.

5. On February 22, 1967, Barbara Jordan became the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas Senate. Jordan went on to serve as a U.S. congresswoman and was a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement.