1. On August 31, 1954, Hurricane Carol hit Delaware, causing significant damage to homes and buildings along the coast. The storm caused power outages and flooding, and claimed the lives of several people.

2. August 31, 1864 marks the date of the Battle of Jones' Farm, which was part of the larger Battle of Ream's Station during the American Civil War. Union troops were able to hold off Confederate forces and maintain control of the area.

3. On August 31, 1780, during the American Revolutionary War, a group of Loyalist raiders attacked Lewes, Delaware. The raiders were driven back by local militia and Continental Army troops, but not before they caused significant damage to the town.

4. Delaware's first public school, the Old Academy, opened its doors on August 31, 1796 in Newark. The school was founded by a group of local families who wanted to provide education for their children and the community.

5. On August 31, 2001, Joe Biden became the longest-serving senator in Delaware's history, surpassing the record set by J. Allen Frear Jr. Biden served as Delaware's senator from 1973 until his resignation in 2009, when he became the Vice President of the United States.