1. On March 23, 1837, the University of Michigan was founded in Ann Arbor as a public research university. Today, it is one of the largest universities in the United States, offering over 250 degree programs to more than 46,000 students.

2. In 1864, on March 23, the Michigan state legislature passed a law abolishing the death penalty for all crimes except treason. Michigan was one of the first states in the country to abolish capital punishment and has not used it since.

3. On March 23, 1931, the Ford Motor Company unveiled the Model A at a gala event in Detroit. The Model A was a major success for Ford, selling more than 1.5 million units by the time production ended in 1932.

4. In 1977, on March 23, the largest single-day snowfall in Detroit's history occurred, with over 16 inches of snow falling in 24 hours. The blizzard caused massive disruptions across the city, including the closure of schools and businesses, and the cancellation of thousands of flights at Detroit Metro Airport.

5. On March 23, 2010, the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team defeated the Clemson Tigers in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The victory was the Wolverines' first NCAA tournament win since 1998 and helped propel them to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in over a decade.