1. On March 27, 1854, the United States Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery. This controversial law set the stage for the violent conflict that would become known as "Bleeding Kansas," and is often cited as a major cause of the American Civil War.

2. On March 27, 1912, the city of Seattle was hit by a devastating fire that destroyed much of its downtown area. The fire started in a basement storage room and quickly spread to nearby buildings, fueled by high winds and a lack of firefighting resources. Over 25 city blocks were destroyed before the blaze was finally brought under control.

3. On March 27, 1964, the largest earthquake ever recorded in North America struck Alaska. Known as the Good Friday earthquake, the magnitude 9.2 quake caused widespread damage and triggered a tsunami that affected coastal communities from Canada to California. The quake also led to major advances in the field of seismology and earthquake engineering.

4. On March 27, 1986, the United States Senate passed the Goldwater-Nichols Act, which restructured the command and control of the United States Armed Forces to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The law required greater cooperation and coordination between the various branches of the military, and helped lay the groundwork for the successful military operations of the 1990s and beyond.

5. On March 27, 2009, a Washington state jury found the "Barefoot Bandit," Colton Harris-Moore, guilty of a string of high-profile burglaries and thefts that had taken place across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Harris-Moore gained notoriety for his ability to elude authorities while running barefoot through the rugged wilderness, and his case became a media sensation. He was eventually sentenced to over six years in prison.