1. In 1796, Tennessee became the 16th state in the United States of America. This happened on August 2 when President George Washington signed the Tennessee Statehood Bill into law. Tennessee is known as the "Volunteer State" due to the high number of volunteers who enlisted in the army during the War of 1812.

2. In 1862, the Battle of New Madrid ended in a Union victory. This battle was part of the American Civil War and took place in New Madrid, Missouri. It lasted from March 3 to April 8, 1862, and was an important victory for the Union army.

3. In 1924, legendary musician and Tennessee native, Hank Williams Sr., was born in Mount Olive, Alabama. Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential country music singers and songwriters of all time. Some of his most famous songs include "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry."

4. In 1951, the Knoxville Iron Company merged with the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company. This merger created the largest steel producer in the southeastern United States. The company played a major role in the growth and development of Knoxville and the surrounding areas.

5. In 1980, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) completed construction of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant in Rhea County, Tennessee. The plant was named after Watts Bar Dam, which is located downstream. Today, the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant is one of several facilities operated by the TVA and provides electricity to millions of people in the southeastern United States.