1. Mission San Jose was founded on March 19, 1797. It was one of the largest missions in California, with a population of over 1,000 Native American converts at its peak.

2. On March 19, 1934, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Long Beach, causing widespread damage and killing 115 people. It remains one of the deadliest earthquakes in California history.

3. The California State University system was established on March 19, 1960, when Governor Pat Brown signed the Donahoe Higher Education Act into law. Today, it is the largest public university system in the United States.

4. On March 19, 1911, the first international airplane flight took place between San Francisco and Oakland. Pilot Eugene Ely flew a Curtiss biplane from Tanforan Racetrack in San Bruno to the deck of the USS Pennsylvania anchored in San Francisco Bay.

5. In 2003, on March 19, the United States launched an invasion of Iraq. Thousands of California National Guard troops were deployed overseas as part of the initial invasion and subsequent occupation. The war lasted for several years and had significant impacts on both U.S. and international politics.