1. In 1817, Fort Dallas was established by the United States Army in what is now Miami. The fort was strategically placed to protect American interests in Florida.

2. On July 9, 1898, US troops under the command of future president Theodore Roosevelt landed in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt was later credited with leading his "Rough Riders" to victory in the Battle of San Juan Hill.

3. In 1962, the St. Petersburg Times reported that residents of the town of Clearwater had observed strange lights in the sky. The incident would later be dubbed the "Clearwater UFO sighting" and become a famous case among UFO enthusiasts.

4. On July 9, 1981, a man named Arthur McDuffie was beaten to death by Miami-Dade police officers following a high-speed chase. The incident sparked riots in Miami and was a major event in the city's history of police brutality and racial tension.

5. In 2011, Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee. The trial captured the attention of the nation and was broadcast live on television. The verdict was met with outrage and controversy, with many people believing Anthony had gotten away with murder.