1. In 1839, the territory of Iowa was established by an act of Congress. This laid the groundwork for Iowa's eventual statehood in 1846.

2. On July 2, 1865, the steamboat Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee. Many of the passengers on board were Iowa soldiers who had just been released from Confederate prisons. More than 1,800 people died in what remains the worst maritime disaster in U.S. history.

3. In 1904, the city of Des Moines hosted the first-ever Drake Relays, a prestigious track and field meet that has since become a beloved Iowa tradition.

4. On July 2, 1911, Ray Harroun won the first-ever Indianapolis 500 race. Harroun was born in Iowa and lived in Des Moines for much of his life.

5. In 2010, the University of Iowa's Flood Center was established in response to devastating floods that hit the state in 2008. The center is dedicated to monitoring flood conditions and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of future floods.