1. On December 19, 1848, Michigan became the first state in the US to abolish the death penalty for all crimes except treason.

2. The Michigan Wolverines won their first Rose Bowl on December 19, 1998, beating the Washington State Cougars 21-16.

3. On December 19, 1981, Detroit resident Mary Wells, who had a string of Motown hits in the 1960s including "My Guy," died of cancer at the age of 49.

4. A devastating snowstorm hit Michigan on December 19, 2012, causing power outages, traffic accidents, and school closures across the state.

5. On December 19, 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered several Flint-area companies to stop dumping chemicals into the Flint River, which had become severely polluted due to industrial waste. The order was one of the first major actions taken by the EPA under the new Clean Water Act.