1. In 1836, the Seminole tribe of Native Americans in Florida launched a surprise attack on a group of soldiers under the command of Major Francis L. Dade. The ambush led to the start of the Second Seminole War, one of the longest and deadliest conflicts between Native Americans and the United States government.

2. On January 8, 1918, the freighter USS Cyclops departed from Barbados en route to Baltimore, Maryland, but was never seen again. The ship's disappearance remains one of the most enduring mysteries in maritime history and has led to numerous theories, including claims of sabotage or attack by a German U-boat during World War I.

3. In 1971, professional football player Emmitt Smith was born in Pensacola, Florida. Smith went on to become one of the most dominant running backs in NFL history, earning three Super Bowl titles with the Dallas Cowboys and eventually being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

4. On January 8, 1998, NASA launched the space shuttle Endeavour on a mission to begin construction of the International Space Station (ISS). The mission marked the start of a decade-long effort to build and expand the ISS, which has since become one of the most important scientific research facilities in the world.

5. In 2011, a mass shooting occurred in Tucson, Arizona, that targeted a public meeting with U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords. Among the six people killed in the shooting was Florida resident Christina-Taylor Green, who was just nine years old at the time. The tragedy sparked a national conversation about gun control and mental health issues in the United States.