1. In 1598, Spanish explorer Don Juan de Oñate led a group of settlers into what is now New Mexico, establishing the first Spanish colony in the region.

2. On March 28, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico, which would lead to the Mexican-American War. New Mexico, which was then part of Mexico, would become a crucial battleground during the conflict.

3. In 1862, Union troops led by General Edward Canby led a successful campaign in New Mexico, culminating in the Battle of Glorieta Pass on March 26-28. The battle is often considered a turning point in the Civil War in the West.

4. On March 28, 1966, the New Mexico State Senate passed a bill abolishing the death penalty in the state. The bill was signed into law later that year, making New Mexico the first state to officially abolish the death penalty since it was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976.

5. In 2013, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. The bill made New Mexico the 17th state to legalize same-sex marriage, and it went into effect immediately after it was signed.