1. In 1901, the Spindletop gusher was discovered near Beaumont, Texas, marking the beginning of the Texas oil boom. The gusher, which released over 100,000 barrels of oil per day, transformed Texas into a major player in the global oil industry.

2. In 1936, the first rodeo in Fort Worth’s famous Cowtown Coliseum was held. Over 26,000 people attended the event, which featured a variety of cowboy events such as bull riding and steer wrestling.

3. In 1840, a group of Texas Rangers under the command of Captain Jack Hays defeated a group of Comanche warriors in the Battle of Plum Creek. The battle marked a turning point in the Texas-Indian Wars and helped secure Texas’ safety from Comanche raids.

4. In 1964, the University of Texas at Austin admitted its first African American undergraduate student, Barbara Jordan. Jordan went on to become a groundbreaking politician and civil rights advocate, serving as the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas Senate.

5. In 1861, the state of Texas officially voted to secede from the United States and join the Confederacy. The decision ultimately led to the state’s involvement in the Civil War and helped shape Texas’ role in American history.