1. In 1770, a group of Choctaw Indians sold the land that would become Baton Rouge to French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville. This transaction set the stage for the establishment of the first settlement in Louisiana's capital city.

2. In 1865, the Union Army captured the Confederate stronghold of Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay, Alabama. This significant Civil War victory helped secure the Gulf coast for the Union and hastened the end of the war.

3. In 1917, the USS Louisiana was commissioned as America's first dreadnought battleship. The ship was named in honor of the Louisiana Purchase and served in both World Wars before being decommissioned in 1924.

4. In 1934, Huey P. Long, Louisiana's controversial senator and governor, officially opened the new Louisiana State Capitol building. The 34-story art deco structure is still the tallest capitol in the United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

5. In 2010, the New Orleans Saints won their first and only Super Bowl victory, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV. The win was a bright spot for the city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and sparked celebrations across Louisiana.