1. On September 3, 1821, Mexico won independence from Spain, which impacted New Mexico greatly. As a province of Spain, New Mexico had been isolated and underdeveloped, but it became part of a larger, independent country.

2. On September 3, 1861, Confederate soldiers under General Henry H. Sibley captured Santa Fe during the Civil War. The Confederate occupation was short-lived, however, as Union troops recaptured the city in early 1862.

3. On September 3, 1883, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad completed a connection from Chicago to the Pacific coast at Los Angeles, which opened up new markets for New Mexico farmers and ranchers.

4. On September 3, 1930, a landmark murder trial began in Albuquerque, as accused killer Paul J. Bodelle faced charges for the stabbing death of Catholic priest Oscar A. Huber. The trial drew national attention and ended in a guilty verdict.

5. On September 3, 1996, the New Mexico State Fair kicked off in Albuquerque. The annual event features rodeos, concerts, carnival rides, and other attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.