1. On April 8, 1861, the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry Regiment arrived in Baltimore to reinforce Union troops. This event marked the beginning of the American Civil War, as the regiment was met with hostile Confederate sympathizers and a violent confrontation ensued.

2. Massachusetts native and inventor Percy Spencer discovered microwave cooking on April 8, 1945. While working on a radar system for the military, he noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. This led him to experiment with cooking various foods using microwaves, ultimately leading to the invention of the microwave oven.

3. On April 8, 1959, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) selected its first African American student, Robert R. Taylor. Taylor went on to earn a Master's degree in City Planning from MIT and later became a prominent architect and educator.

4. The Boston Marathon, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious marathons, is held annually on the third Monday in April (Patriots' Day). The first Boston Marathon was held on April 19, 1897, but due to the holiday falling on that day in 1965, the race was moved to April 19, 1965.

5. On April 8, 2013, Boston was rocked by two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Three people were killed and over 260 others were injured in the terrorist attack. The city rallied together in the face of tragedy, with the hashtag #BostonStrong becoming a symbol of resilience and unity.