1. On June 8, 1775, the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was allegedly signed in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although its authenticity has been debated, this document is said to predate the United States Declaration of Independence by more than a year and is considered a precursor to the American Revolution.

2. The Battle of Lincolnton took place on June 8, 1780, during the Revolutionary War. British forces led by General Charles Cornwallis defeated American patriots, including North Carolina militia, in a significant blow to the rebellion in the Southern colonies.

3. On June 8, 1862, the Confederate Ram CSS Virginia II, a steam-powered ironclad warship, was burned and scuttled by its crew in Norfolk, Virginia. The next day, the Union navy would capture Norfolk and the shipyard where the Virginia had been built and refitted.

4. Aviator Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel on June 8, 1912, in a record-breaking time of 59 minutes. Quimby, who was born in Michigan but had lived in New York and California, had trained as a pilot in North Carolina and is credited with helping to popularize aviation for women.

5. The first NASCAR Cup Series race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway took place on June 8, 1960. The inaugural event, known as the World 600, was won by driver Joe Lee Johnson and marked the beginning of a long-standing relationship between NASCAR and the track that continues to this day.