1. On September 2, 1789, the United States Department of the Treasury was established in Washington, D.C. by an act of Congress. This department is responsible for managing the financial resources of the United States government.

2. In 1862, Union troops led by General John Pope were defeated by Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee in the Second Battle of Bull Run. This battle, which took place near Manassas, Virginia, was one of the bloodiest of the Civil War.

3. On September 2, 1917, the first World War I draft was held in the United States. This draft would eventually lead to the conscription of millions of young men to fight in the war.

4. In 1968, a major riot broke out on U Street in Washington, D.C. after the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The riot lasted for several days and resulted in numerous fatalities and arrests.

5. On September 2, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, causing widespread devastation and loss of life. The storm, which had been preceded by days of heavy rainfall, resulted in catastrophic flooding in the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas.