1. In 1836, just days after the fall of the Alamo, the Convention of 1836 ratified the Texas Declaration of Independence in Washington-on-the-Brazos, officially declaring Texas an independent republic.

2. In 1952, the deadliest tornado outbreak in Texas history occurred. The outbreak, which lasted from March 9-13, resulted in 114 deaths and more than $39 million in damage across the state.

3. In 1969, the first hand transplant in United States history was performed at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston. The recipient, a 33-year-old man from New Jersey, lost his right hand in a fireworks accident.

4. In 1997, the Texas Senate passed a resolution apologizing for the state's role in slavery and segregation. The resolution marked the first official apology by a state for slavery.

5. In 2004, the Texas Longhorns men's basketball team won its first-ever Big 12 Conference championship with a victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. The Longhorns went on to the NCAA Tournament, where they reached the Final Four for the first time since 1947.