1. Harry Truman delivered a speech in Columbia, Missouri on November 25, 1948, in which he spoke about the value of education and the importance of supporting institutions of higher learning. Truman was the first sitting president to speak at the University of Missouri.

2. Mark Twain was born on November 30, 1835, but he spent much of his life in Missouri and his legacy is closely tied to the state. He published his first book, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," in 1865, and his most famous works, including "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," drew heavily on his experiences growing up along the Mississippi River.

3. The Battle of Pilot Knob took place on September 26-27, 1864, but it had significant repercussions for the state of Missouri long after the fighting had ended. The Union victory at Pilot Knob effectively ended the Confederate presence in the state, and it helped pave the way for the eventual emancipation of Missouri's slaves.

4. On November 25, 1915, Missouri residents voted to establish the Missouri State Highway Department, which eventually became the Missouri Department of Transportation. The agency was created to oversee the construction and maintenance of the state's roads and highways, a task that had previously been handled by local governments.

5. Perhaps one of the most famous events in Missouri history occurred on July 20, 1969, when the Apollo 11 mission successfully landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong, who famously declared, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," was born and raised in Wapakoneta, Ohio, but he earned his pilot's license at the age of 16 in Warrensburg, Missouri.