1. On January 10, 1901, oil was discovered at the Spindletop oil field near Beaumont. This led to a boom in the Texas oil industry, making Texas one of the leading oil-producing states in the United States.

2. On January 10, 1840, the Battle of Neches occurred, in which a group of Texans led by Mirabeau B. Lamar fought against a group of Native Americans. The Texans claimed victory after killing at least 18 Native American men and capturing many women and children.

3. On January 10, 1861, the Texas Secession Convention voted to secede from the United States and join the Confederacy, leading Texas into the American Civil War.

4. On January 10, 1971, the Houston Oilers defeated the San Diego Chargers 31-0 in the AFL Championship game, earning their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. They went on to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl IX.

5. On January 10, 2012, Rick Perry announced that he was dropping out of the presidential race, ending his bid for the Republican nomination. Perry, a former governor of Texas, had previously led in the polls but struggled in debates and suffered from gaffes on the campaign trail.