1. Louisiana officially became a state
On December 8, 1812, Louisiana became the 18th state in the United States of America.

2. The Battle of Baton Rouge
During the Civil War, Union forces attacked Confederate-held Baton Rouge on December 8, 1862, resulting in a Union victory.

3. Louisiana Tech University's First Football Championship
On December 8, 1973, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs won their first NCAA Division II football championship with a 34-0 victory over Western Kentucky.

4. The First U.S. Women's Bobsled World Champion
On December 8, 2000, Jill Bakken became the first U.S. woman to win a bobsled World Championship title, with her teammate Vonetta Flowers, at the World Cup race in Igls, Austria.

5. The Bayou Corne Sinkhole Disaster
On December 8, 2012, a massive sinkhole opened up near Bayou Corne, Louisiana. The sinkhole, which was caused by a salt dome collapse, caused the evacuation of the entire town and continues to be an ongoing disaster.