1. The Battle of Blue Water Creek
On November 12, 1855, a skirmish between the Pawnee tribe and a group of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors broke out at Blue Water Creek in present-day Nebraska. The Pawnee managed to fend off the attack, thanks in part to their rifles, which gave them an advantage over the traditional weapons used by the attacking tribes.

2. Nebraska statehood
On November 12, 1867, Nebraska became the 37th state to join the United States. Abraham Lincoln, who had signed the Homestead Act and created the Nebraska Territory, had envisioned Nebraska's future as a free state, and its statehood fulfilled that vision.

3. The Lincoln Highway
On November 12, 1913, the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway in the United States, was dedicated in Omaha, Nebraska. The highway, which stretched 3,389 miles from New York City to San Francisco, was a major milestone in the development of automobile travel in the early 20th century.

4. The sinking of the USS Omaha
On November 12, 1944, the USS Omaha, a light cruiser in the United States Navy, was sunk by a Japanese kamikaze attack off the coast of Leyte Island in the Philippines. Of the ship's crew of 656, 46 were killed in the attack, with another 80 wounded.

5. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln
On November 12, 1869, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was founded. Today, the university is a major research institution and a member of the Big Ten Conference, with 25,000 students enrolled in its undergraduate and graduate programs. Notable alumni include Warren Buffett, Johnny Carson, and Gabrielle Union.