1. In 1822, a bill was passed by the United States Congress to establish a territorial government in Florida, paving the way for statehood.

2. In 1848, the steamship New York arrived in Tampa Bay with the first shipment of ice ever received in Florida, marking the beginning of a new era in transportation and preservation of goods.

3. In 1870, the first municipal election was held in the city of Jacksonville, leading to the election of its first mayor, Nathaniel Coles.

4. In 1936, the famous Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus opened its season in Sarasota, Florida, where it had established its winter headquarters the previous year.

5. In 1970, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida, causing minor damage but being felt as far away as Miami. It remains the largest earthquake ever recorded in the state.