1. On March 6, 1836, the Battle of the Alamo in Texas ended after thirteen days of siege by Mexican forces. Although the battle did not take place in Florida, it had a significant impact on the state's history as many Floridians volunteered to fight for Texas, including David Crockett and William Barret Travis.

2. In 1845, the U.S. Congress approved the annexation of Florida as the 27th state, officially making it part of the United States. This decision came after several years of negotiations between the U.S. and Spain, which had previously held control over the territory.

3. On March 6, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew members. The tragedy was a significant blow to the U.S. space program and led to a two-and-a-half year suspension of shuttle flights.

4. In 2001, the Florida Legislature passed a law changing the state's official animal from the Florida Panther to the manatee. The manatee was chosen for its status as an endangered species and its role as a symbol of Florida's natural beauty.

5. On March 6, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state's congressional districts had been unconstitutionally gerrymandered in order to benefit the Republican Party. The ruling required the state legislature to redraw the districts, which led to significant changes in the balance of power in Florida politics.