1. The end of the Battle of Puebla: May 8, 1862, marks the end of the famous Battle of Puebla, where Mexican forces temporarily repelled an invading French army.

2. San Francisco's Great White Fleet: May 8, 1908, saw the arrival of the Great White Fleet in San Francisco Bay. This fleet of sixteen battleships had circumnavigated the globe as a show of American naval strength.

3. Spanish Flu outbreak: May 8, 1918, saw the first confirmed case of Spanish Flu in California. This outbreak would eventually claim the lives of over 4,000 Californians.

4. Golden Gate Bridge opens: May 8, 1937, saw the official opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, which spans the Golden Gate strait and connects San Francisco to Marin County.

5. California becomes 31st state: May 8, 1850, saw California officially become the 31st state in the United States.