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2 Oct 2002
Beltway sniper attacks begin.
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28 Dec 1981
The first American test-tube baby, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, was born in Norfolk, Virginia.
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16 Feb 1961
NASA's Explorer 9 satellite launched from the Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia.
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3 Jun 1946
The United States Supreme Court declared that it was unlawful to discriminate in interstate travel.
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27 May 1931
The first full-scale wind tunnel for airplane testing was built at Langley Field, Virginia. For ten years, it remained the largest wind tunnel in the world.
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21 Oct 1915
The first radio message to go across the Atlantic Ocean was sent from Virginia to Paris.
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10 Feb 1863
The first US fire extinguisher patent was granted to Alanson Crane, Virginia.
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21 Jul 1861
The Battle of Bull Run took place at Manassas Junction, Virginia.
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15 Dec 1791
The US Bill of Rights was ratified when Virginia gave its approval, which became amendments 1-10 of the constitution.
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25 Jun 1788
Virginia became the 10th state to join the United States of America.
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16 Dec 1777
Virginia became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
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11 Nov 1750
The first college fraternity, The Flat Hat Society, was formed in the Raleigh Tavern at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
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19 Sep 1676
Bacon's Rebellion set Jamestown, Virginia, on fire after a year of conflict to change Virginia's Native American-Frontier policy.
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21 Nov 1654
Freed black man Richard Johnson was granted 100 acres of land in the state of Virginia.
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19 Dec 1606
The three ships carrying settlers who would later found Virginia, the first of the Thirteen Colonies, departed England.
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27 Jul 1586
Tobacco arrived in England for the first time.
