1. On February 21, 1837, Iowa became the 29th state to join the Union. The state was primarily settled by immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands, and its name comes from the Native American word "ayuhwa," which means "beautiful land."

2. In 1862, the Civil War Battle of Valverde took place near Fort Craig, New Mexico. Iowa soldiers fought bravely in the battle, which was part of the Confederate invasion of the Southwest. Although the Union lost the battle, it helped prevent Confederate advances into California.

3. Iowa's Herbert Hoover was born on February 21, 1874, in West Branch, Iowa. He served as the 31st President of the United States, from 1929 to 1933, and is known for his humanitarian work, particularly during World War I and the Great Depression.

4. In 1972, Iowa State University wrestler Dan Gable won the Olympic gold medal in Munich, Germany, without allowing a single point to be scored against him. Gable is considered one of the greatest wrestlers in history, having won multiple NCAA titles and a total of 152 straight matches.

5. On February 21, 2016, Iowa hosted the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses, which kickstarted the race for the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Iowa caucuses have been an important part of the presidential election process since 1972, and are known for their grassroots nature and face-to-face interactions between voters and candidates.