1. On December 16, 1837, Michigan's first governor, Stevens T. Mason, was inaugurated in Detroit. Mason was just 24 years old at the time, making him the youngest governor in U.S. history.

2. The University of Michigan, one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the country, was founded on December 16, 1817, by the territorial government of Michigan. Originally located in Detroit, the university moved to Ann Arbor in 1837.

3. On December 16, 1957, the longest serving congressman in Michigan history, John Dingell Jr., was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Dingell was re-elected 29 times, serving a total of 59 years in Congress before retiring in 2015.

4. Michigan's first state capitol building, located in Detroit, burned down on December 16, 1836. The Michigan Legislature promptly authorized the construction of a new capitol building in the state's new capital, Lansing.

5. On December 16, 1920, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in favor of the University of Michigan's decision to expel a student for racist and anti-Semitic activities on campus. The decision was seen as a landmark victory for academic freedom and free speech, and helped set a precedent for disciplinary action against hate speech in higher education.