1. In 1864, the Battle of Cold Harbor began in Hanover County, Virginia, as Union General Ulysses S. Grant attacked Confederate General Robert E. Lee's army. The battle lasted for three days and resulted in heavy losses on both sides. This is considered one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
2. On June 3, 1861, the Virginia State Convention voted to secede from the United States and join the Confederacy. This decision was opposed by many Virginians and led to the formation of the Union-aligned state of West Virginia.
3. In 1972, a category 4 tornado ripped through Pulaski County, Virginia, causing extensive damage and killing 4 people. This tornado was part of a larger outbreak that affected several states in the region.
4. On June 3, 1895, the Supreme Court of Virginia declared the state's new constitution unconstitutional. This led to a new constitutional convention being held and a new constitution being adopted in 1902, which resulted in the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans and poor whites.
5. The Virginia Tech Masacre took place on April 16, 2007. The shooter was a Senior English major, Seung-Hui Cho. The attack resulted in the deaths of 32 people and more than a dozen people being injured.