1. In 1775, the Second Virginia Convention met in Richmond to discuss the colony's response to the growing tensions with Great Britain. It was at this convention that Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech.

2. In 1865, following the end of the Civil War, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union troops near Irwinville, Georgia. Davis had fled Richmond, Virginia, just weeks before as the city fell to Union forces.

3. In 1877, Virginia Governor James L. Kemper signed into law the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College Act, which established what is now Virginia Tech. The university opened its doors in 1872 as Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College.

4. In 1933, the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic highway that runs through the Appalachian Mountains, was officially authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The parkway stretches for 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina and is popular for its breathtaking views and hiking trails.

5. In 1973, the Virginia General Assembly ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, making Virginia the 38th state to do so. The amendment would have enshrined gender equality in the U.S. Constitution but ultimately fell short of the required 38 states needed for ratification.