1. In 1849, the Iowa territory adopted its first constitution, paving the way for Iowa's admission to the Union as a state in 1858.

2. On March 26, 1872, the Iowa State Agricultural College (now known as Iowa State University) was established in Ames, Iowa. Today, the university is renowned for its research and programs in agriculture, engineering, and the natural sciences.

3. In 1912, the state of Iowa became the first in the nation to pass a prohibition law, banning the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol. The law remained in effect until 1933, when it was repealed following the end of Prohibition.

4. On March 26, 1945, Iowa native Flora Knight became the first African American nurse to be commissioned as a lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps. Her service during World War II paved the way for greater opportunities for black women in nursing.

5. In 1999, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the state's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, becoming the third state in the nation to do so. The ruling was later overturned by the state legislature, but paved the way for future legal challenges and eventual legalization of same-sex marriage in Iowa in 2009.