1. Texas became a state: On July 1, 1845, Texas officially became the 28th state to join the United States of America. This momentous occasion followed a decade of independence from Mexico, which was won in the Texas Revolution from 1835-1836.

2. The iconic state flag was adopted: On July 1, 1911, the current design of the Texas state flag was adopted by the Texas Legislature. The flag features a lone star on a blue background with horizontal bars of white and red.

3. The first Battle of El Paso: On July 1, 1861, the first Battle of El Paso was fought during the Civil War. Confederate troops, led by General John R. Baylor, defeated Union forces and occupied the city of El Paso for the duration of the war.

4. Major League Baseball comes to Texas: On July 1, 1972, the Texas Rangers played their first game at Arlington Stadium. The Rangers, originally the second incarnation of the Washington Senators, had moved to Texas earlier that year following the approval of Major League Baseball.

5. A deadly plane crash: On July 1, 1983, a private plane carrying Republican Representative Mickey Leland of Houston and 15 others crashed in Ethiopia. All aboard were killed in the crash, which was attributed to poor weather conditions. Leland had been a prominent voice on issues related to famine relief in Africa.