1. In 1861, Alabama seceded from the United States and joined the Confederate States of America, which marked the beginning of the American Civil War. This decision by Alabama played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the war.

2. In 1901, the Alabama state constitution was adopted, which significantly restricted voting rights for African Americans and poor whites. The constitution remained in effect until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

3. In 1968, the first successful heart transplant in Alabama was performed at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham. The patient, a 29-year-old woman, survived for six days following the surgery.

4. In 1973, the United States Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide. The case originated in Texas but had implications for the entire country, including Alabama.

5. In 2018, a federal judge ruled that Alabama's system of permanently revoking voting rights for individuals convicted of certain crimes was unconstitutional. The decision opened the door for more than 250,000 people to have their voting rights restored.