1. Kansas became the 34th state in the United States on July 2, 1861, during the American Civil War. Although Kansas had been a territory since 1854, it was not until the outbreak of the Civil War that Congress approved statehood for Kansas.

2. On July 2, 1934, infamous American outlaw John Dillinger was killed by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago, Illinois. However, Dillinger had ties to Kansas, as he had robbed banks in Wichita and Lawrence in the early 1930s.

3. The deadliest tornado in Kansas history struck on July 2, 1955, in the town of Udall, located in south-central Kansas. The tornado killed 80 people and injured over 270 others, causing widespread devastation to homes and businesses in the area.

4. On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. The legislation prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and is considered one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in American history.

5. Lawrence, Kansas, celebrated its 150th birthday on July 2, 2004. The city, located in northeast Kansas, was founded in 1854 and played a significant role in the events leading up to the American Civil War, as it was a major center of anti-slavery activity in the region.