1. In 1836, the Battle of San Jacinto, the final battle of the Texas Revolution, ended with the defeat of Mexican forces and marked the independence of Texas. This battle lasted just 18 minutes, making it one of the shortest decisive battles in history.

2. In 1873, the famous outlaw John Wesley Hardin was captured in a train station in Pensacola, Florida. Hardin was a notorious gunslinger who had killed over 20 people, and had been on the run from Texas authorities for years.

3. In 1901, Spindletop, a huge oil gusher in southeastern Texas, was discovered. The discovery of this oil field led to the development of the Texas oil industry, which today is one of the largest in the world.

4. In 1949, the first recorded tornado outbreak in Texas occurred on June 18th. This outbreak resulted in a series of tornadoes that touched down in several cities, causing extensive damage and several fatalities.

5. In 1976, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Craig v. Boren that it was unconstitutional for states to have different drinking ages for men and women. This ruling had a significant impact on Texas, which had previously allowed women to purchase alcohol at age 18, while men had to wait until age 21.