1. In 1861, Tennessee officially seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy at a convention held in Nashville. This decision was controversial, as there were large numbers of Unionists in the state who did not support secession.

2. On June 29, 1905, the Tennessee Supreme Court made a landmark ruling in the case of State v. Tommy Edwards. The court declared that a defendant could not be convicted of murder if they were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime. This ruling was later overturned by the US Supreme Court.

3. June 29, 1925, marked the beginning of the Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee. This famous trial centered around the teaching of evolution in public schools, and helped to establish legal precedents regarding the separation of church and state.

4. In 1970, the Tennessee Aquarium opened in downtown Chattanooga. With over 10,000 animals and plants on display, it quickly became one of the state's top tourist attractions.

5. On June 29, 2015, the US Supreme Court made a historic ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. The case was brought by a Tennessee couple who had been denied the right to marry, and the ruling marked a major victory for LGBTQ+ rights advocates.